After investing $43,030,533.40 over the last seven years in their Basic School Program the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation (“GFF”) was honoured by the Early Childhood Commission (“ECC”) for its work in 9 Basic Schools located in Kingston and St. Andrew. GFF thanks the ECC for its recognition of our contribution to the Early Childhood Development Sector. We congratulate all of our fellow awardees, and in particular Mrs. Joyce LaCorbiniere, who we have worked closely with at Arnold Road Methodist Basic School, one of the Basic School’s under our purview, for a number of years.  

The Foundation's work in our Basic Schools has been aimed at ensuring that all students enter Grade One actually prepared and mentally equipped for Primary School. To this end, our students receive ‘Development Milestones’ and ‘Grade One Readiness’ testing, ‘Early Intervention’ and tennis lessons each week, and are exposed to our ‘Reach Up and Learn’ and ‘Second Step’ programs.

GFF’s IT Playmates work in our Basic Schools on a day-to-day basis, interacting with students, parents, teachers and principals. Our Reach Up and Learn Program sees our IT Playmates train others on how to provide a stimulating learning environment for children and our Second Step Program promotes the teaching of life skills that strengthen our children’s ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions and solve problems. We also use tennis to teach our children good hand eye coordination, positive social interaction, self esteem, self control and concentration while having fun.

In accepting the award GFF acknowledged the work and support of the Principals of each school with whom they have worked closely over the years. These schools are:-

GFF looks forward to continuing to work with the Principals and children in our Basic Schools to better the educational environments of Jamaica's youngest citizens.

Last week, a "thank you" event was held for Doris Gross, one of the managing partners in Portico Architects, who assisted the Gore Family Foundation as an instructor in the Construction Project Management Course (CPM) that it coordinates at Jamaica College.

This course is the brainchild of Gore Developments Limited Chairman Phillip Gore and is taught by construction professionals who volunteer their time.