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  My time spent at the Institute of Jamaica Junior Centre was wonderful. I enjoyed being there and I looked forward to going there every evening after school “rain or shine”. I started at the Half Way Tree Junior Centre in summer 2005 when one of my mom’s friends told her about it. On the first day that I went to summer school, I joined the art class, which is my favourite until now. I got involved in all the activities such as drumming, dancing, sign language, music, needle craft, and storytelling, which were also offered in the after school programme. These were all fun and exciting, and I have pleasant memories. While in the after school programme, my fellow school mates and I went on trips to different places. We entered the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) drama, music, dancing and speech competitions. The Half Way Tree Junior Centre was my second school. There I learned to be more responsible, how to interact with my peers and how to have fun. In 2008 I got a summer school scholarship to attend the University of Technology’s Creative Arts Centre to participate in their “Tomorrow’s Children” programme. In 2009 in particular I worked very hard to top all the activities in which I was involved, because 2010 would have been m G-SAT year and I would not have been able to focus much attention as I would like to. I am happy to say that for 2009 I was awarded Child of the Year. I encourage all parents and guardians to send their children to the Junior Centre. It has helped me and I know that it will help me.    

Confidently aspiring I am Tashana Angelete Blair, a studious, talented, intelligent, adventurous, determined thirteen (13) year old who attends Campion College. I am an aspiring business woman who has great interest in photography, enjoys reading motivational novels, singing, browsing the internet and socializing. My philosophy states ‘never limit your challenges but always challenge your limits.’ Whether it was deciding which novel to check out from the library or trying to get the right pronunciation of a word in Speech and Drama or even just trying to get to reading classes on time, the Institute of Jamaica’s Junior Centre was always a challenge in some way or the other. The Junior Centre’s library played an important role in developing my love for reading. At the age of eight (8) years Ms. Kelly, the Centre’s librarian at the time, introduced me to my first Nancy Drew novel, ‘The clue in the old clock’. I did not know it at the time, but, that was the beginning of my ‘addiction’ to books. Since then, my ‘addiction’ has developed to include a wide range of fictions and non-fictions – pretty much anything with words. Speech and Drama classes were always something to look forward to. From the rigorous rehearsals for the J.C.D.C. Festival to the ‘chill sessions’ we had, there was never a dull moment in that class. The many presentations of: votes of thanks, welcomes and introductions I did on behalf of the Centre, really helped me to ‘come out of my shell’ and become more confident. I was the East Street Junior Centre’s Child of the Year second (2nd) runner up in 2006. As an awardee, I was given a scholarship to the University of Technology’s Environmental Foundation of Jamaica Tomorrow’s Children Summer Programme, where I was recognised for outstanding achievement in photography. In May of 2008 my former classmate, Zaire West, and I chaired the National Child Month Committee’s launch of child month program held at the Institute of Jamaica. In 2008, I was the valedictorian of my graduating class at Holy Family Primary School. In August of the same year I was awarded the prestigious Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation County Scholarship for the county of Surrey. All in all, the Institute of Jamaica’s Junior Centre played a key role in my development and will continue to influence my future. The experience and training garnered from my involvement at the Junior Centre has benefitted me tremendously.