THE Saint Lucia Sports Academy, a newly established educational institution, was the recent recipient of a multifunctional printer to aid in its preparations for the upcoming school year.
The printer, which is valued at EC$4,550.00, was purchased by the Sandals Foundation through proceeds generated in 2019 from the Sandals Resorts/Island Routes weekly tour to the Gros Islet Street Party.
The Academy, which focuses on sports and academics, has a population of 101 students between the ages of 11 and 18 years and a staff compliment of 18 teachers and 3 coaches.
Since its inception in 2019, the Academy has made significant progress in the lives of potential local athletes. However, operations ground to a halt last year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in an effort to recover and prepare for the impending new school year, a multifunctional printer was identified as among the critical tools to help put the school back on course.
āThe Sandals Foundation was happy to purchase and donate the multifunctional printer, which will be used exclusively by teachers, students and coaches for academic purposes. In todayās digital world, we understand the importance of having these tools which are essential to communication and increasing efficiency,ā said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation.
Principal of the Academy, Mrs. Delia Alcindor-Charles was on hand recently to receive the donation on behalf of her staff and students. āIt is with deep gratitude that I accept this gift. It is a timely donation, and you can rest assured that the items will improve the efficiency of the learning at our school. Special thanks to all of the partners especially those who belong to our school community in Gros Islet. This will have a significant impact on our performance as we prepare for the enrolment of our new students.”
David Shields, speaking on behalf of Island Routes and Superior Tours shared that, āThis collaboration between Superior Tours and Island Routes in Saint Lucia speaks to the power of partnerships to improve communities. As part of the Caribbean experience, Sandals Resorts encourages guests to experience the energy of the country they visit by booking the Island Routes packaged tour to the renowned Gros Islet street party.
āAs they immerse into the local cultureā, Shields continues, āenjoy the entertainment, patronize vendors and bars, they are helping to fuel the local economy and livelihoods of vendors. With that, we at Superior Tours and Island Routes were able to make a contribution from the proceeds generated directly to the Sandals Foundation to reinvest into the community. In other words, funds contributed by guests to book the Gros Islet event, is now adding much needed value to the Sports Academy,ā said Shields.