As part of Reading Month activities in May, the Grace Combined School in Vieux Fort welcomed officers from the Community Policing Unit of the Southern Division for a series of read-aloud sessions with students across multiple classrooms.
Vincent Charlery, the teacher in charge at Grace Combined, said the initiative holds intrinsic value for students, particularly boys, who are increasingly moving away from reading.
“This is one of the best initiatives that we’ve had so far… We notice that especially with our boys, there is a decline in reading,” Charlery said. “The boys are more involved in technology, and having the police officers, especially the male officers, come to read to them encourages young boys especially to engage in reading.”
Charlery emphasised the broader significance of the initiative. “Reading is a very important part of the success of a child, and having the officers here today – it was a pleasure having them.”
According to police, age-appropriate books were carefully selected, with a focus on stories that highlighted three core values: courage, respect and inclusivity.
Grade 3 teacher Marcia Joseph-Neptune noted that the themes covered resonated with students and that the event was well received.
“The students enjoyed the book. The book was very relevant because it was about bullying and facing your fears – a very relevant story especially to them at their age,” she said.
Officers from the Vieux Fort Police Station said read-aloud sessions are a regular part of their community engagement efforts. They noted that the sessions typically generate positive feedback, as children are often excited to interact with officers outside of the usual law enforcement setting.
Plans are underway to host more read-aloud events at various schools throughout the district.
