Students of Spring Garden Primary and Infant School in Trelawny have strengthened their writing skills through a mentorship programme led by 14-year-old Florida student, Jayden Toney.
The initiative dubbed ‘Write Across Borders’ connected Jayden with 12 students through online lessons delivered via WhatsApp, where they participated in writing activities and competitions, with several receiving cash prizes and tablets at the end of the initiative.
Students were taught creative writing techniques, including character development, dialogue, descriptive writing and editing, through four weekly modules, while being encouraged to build confidence in their storytelling.
A student of the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach in Florida, Jayden said the project was inspired by his desire to find a meaningful way to assist fellow Jamaicans following hurricane melissa.
With the assistance of his mother, Colleen Toney, who is a native of Trelawny, Jayden brought his vision to life through the pilot of the project in Southern Trelawny in June, under the theme ‘Finish what you start’.
The programme received support locally through partnership with the Trelawny Social Development Commission (SDC), under Parish Manager, Paula Barrett-Reid, and Spring Garden Primary and Infant School Principal, Javolin Codling-Wright.
Member of Parliament for Southern Trelawny, who is also Jayden’s grandmother, Hon. Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, also supported the initiative by assisting with uniform material, books and cash prizes for the students, while tablets were donated by eLearning Jamaica Company Limited.
The initiative culminated at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort with a prize-giving and closing ceremony on August 20.
For the students, the programme provided an opportunity to improve their writing while gaining confidence in sharing their ideas.
Tanialee Debourgh, who recently sat the Primary Exit Profile Exam (PEP) at Spring Garden Primary, said Jayden’s encouragement and feedback during the mentorship programme made her more enthusiastic about writing.
“My favourite thing about having Jayden as my teacher is that he was very encouraging and was always giving me feedback on my stories,” she said.
At the closing ceremony, she received a certificate and a tablet, which highlighted her growth as a creative writer.
“I felt very proud of my achievements,” she said.
Fellow student Claytonya Collins said Jayden created a positive environment that encouraged her to feel confident about their work.
Claytonya, who won a S26 Ultra Tablet, said she was most proud of improving her writing and gaining the confidence to share her stories with others.
“It made me feel proud, accomplished and grateful because my creativity and energy were unmatched,” she said.
Principal Codling-Wright said the school was “elated” to have been selected for the programme, noting that literacy is fundamental to students’ success.
She expressed gratitude to Jayden for using his skills to support the students at such a young age.
“At his age, he has already demonstrated something very important. Leadership is not about how old you are; it’s about the difference you’re willing to make,” she said.
Ms. Toney, who also served as the project administrator, said she was proud to see her son combining his kindness, skills and impeccable work ethic to help others.
She said she initially questioned how practical the initiative would be with the family living overseas but was pleased with the impact it had on the students while being delivered online.
For Jayden, the experience reinforced the importance of young people using their abilities to help others.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have access to strong resources and opportunities, so I really just wanted to take some of what I have been given and pay it forward,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the partners who came on board.
In the future, Jayden plans to develop additional resources for lessons and expand ‘Write Across Borders’ to reach more children.
