Dr Kurt Waul Foundation, Denneth Bartley partner to assist Nightingale Grove Basic School

In fact the kindergarten is one of the oldest in the constituency, operating for more than 40 years, contributing to the formative years of many individuals who are now established influencers at the local, national and international levels.

Lately a few members of the community, many of whom have been among the first settlers when the housing scheme opened in 1975, are now spearheading a mission to reopen the institution’s doors and see to its return to the glory days when it was the most sort-after of its kind.
 

Their efforts have grabbed the attention of former residents residing abroad, including Denneth Bartley, who spent the majority of her adult life in the community before immigrating to the United States.
 

Bartley’s affinity with Nightingale Grove, which has a history of flooding during the rainy season, was enough motivation to spur her into action as she, along with son Hakeem Plummer who is a past student, coordinated a shipment of school items from her personal resources destined for the school located at Gutters, a rapidly developing commercial area east of Old Harbour town square.
 

The shipment of primarily books, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, rulers, tissues among other items, arrived within a couple of weeks with the Dr Kurt Waul Foundation playing an integral role.

Today, Dr Kurt Waul, who is the People’s National Party (PNP) chairman of the constituency, was on hand to formally handover the items on Bartley’s behalf.
 

“This school has been defunct for the last five years,” said Waul, a medical doctor by profession and native of the constituency, “and this community is a very large community and its my belief that early childhood education is one of the most important aspects of education; and it is welcomed that after five years the community has mustered up the strength and contribution to reopen this most important institution; and I hope that it will never ever go defunct again and that this school will be here to serve the community of Gutters and Nightingale Grove for many, many years to come.”
 

He later added: “I want to extend thanks to Denneth Bartley for teaming up with the Dr Kurt Waul Foundation. I appreciate her kind gesture and I welcome other contributors to come on board to help the Dr Kurt Waul Foundation fulfill many dreams that communities have in South West St Catherine and surrounding areas. So thank you again Denneth.”
 

Speaking to Old Harbour News from Panama City, Florida, Bartley said:  “It’s rough out there in Jamaica. It’s very hard. To be honest it’s a long time I really want to start doing this you know, giving back to the community of Nightingale Grove. When I told Hakeem about it he immediately agreed and that’s how it all started.”
 

Members of the school’s steering committee were elated to receive the donation, with newly appointed principal Flo Nelson saying: “On behalf of the citizens of the Nightingale Grove community and the basic school we want to extend a big thank you to Ms Denneth Bartley and yourself for this generous contribution. I am sure it’s going to go a far way in helping to meet the needs of our children as they pursue their learning at this institution.”
 

Registration is now open for the new academic school year.