Cop gives caring hand to special-needs students ahead of Christmas
Published:Monday | December 11, 2023 | 12:10 AMAshley Anguin/Gleaner Writer
Christmas came early for the Montego Bay Learning Centre on December 6 when one-man band Sergeant Gladstone Sealy lit up the faces of the institution’s special-needs students and members of staff by treating them to a day of fun, entertainment, and delicious food.
The event, which was being held for the first time by Sealy, was perfectly timed in its hosting during Disability Awareness Week, which is observed annually from December 3 to 8, and benefited more than 100 persons while costing approximately $100,000 to put on.
The institution, which is located in Montego Bay, St James, caters to 76 students ranging in age from six to 21 years. Approximately 20 per cent of the students live with disabilities such as Down’s syndrome, autism, deafness, and vision impairment.
Sealy, who is a member of the St James Traffic Department, told The Gleaner that giving back is in his DNA.
“When I was a child, my mother used to take my siblings and myself to the Santa Cruz Infirmary in St Elizabeth. She would normally bake and bring food there. We would help with the preparation and help to distribute the items to the people at the infirmary. That caring part of me has started from then and has never left me,” Sealy explained.
Having worked closely with the Montego Bay Learning Centre for a period, Sealy felt that giving back to the students was the right thing to do.
“This is my first year doing this, but I just felt like the caring side of me wanted to give back. There are students here whose parents cannot afford anything substantial throughout the year, so I saw a need,” said Sealy.
“I work closely with the school, and so I wanted to extend a helping and caring hand to them. I love the fact that the school has students participating in Special Olympics, so I also wanted to tell them thanks for getting involved and how appreciative I am of the students doing that,” Sealy added, while noting that he hopes to hold the event annually and secure partnerships to make future stagings bigger and better.
The most exciting thing for the students during the fun day was the bounce-about attraction as they were attached to it to the point that they did not want to leave playing in it for a second. They also used hula hoops and danced to music that they selected.
Some of the mouthwatering treats distributed were Christmas cake, ice cream, fruit cake, and popcorn. Lunch consisted of rice and peas with baked chicken and vegetables and sorrel to quench their thirst.
‘He adopted us’
Roy Reid, principal of the Montego Bay Learning Centre, said the school has developed a relationship with Sealy over the years.
“I think he adopted us. He reached out to us and he has been doing it annually for the children in Montego Bay. He would have offered us not only treats, but other support in terms of upgrading our school infrastructure. Currently, he has an upcoming project where he will be adding a shower area to our bathroom facilities,” said Reid.
“I was very happy that the students got something to go off on the holidays. We normally have something, but over the years because of financial constraints, we have not been able to give the children anything. For him [Sealy] to come in and do this was very heartening and well appreciated by the school family,” Reid added. “It came at a great time when members of the community of disabled persons would seek to highlight the various issues concerning persons with disabilities and the challenges they face. Our expectations of the general public in terms of the way people with disabilities are treated and the fact there is a legal framework in which everyone operates. So persons with disabilities should not have their rights trampled on.”
Under Section 24 of the Disabilities Act, which was passed in 2014 and came into effect on February 14, 2022, a person with a disability is entitled to enjoy the privileges, interest, benefits, and treatment like other members of society.
Section 25 of the act says that a person with a disability should not be subjected to discrimination because of that disability.
In the meantime, Dehelah Wright, special education teacher at the Montego Bay Learning Centre, said she was overjoyed for the students.
“Sometimes, because of their special needs, the students are left behind, so the treat was a wonderful gesture on Sergeant Sealy’s part. I felt good because it shows that someone really remembers them. It was a good experience for them enjoying themselves free of charge. Also, some parents, because the children are of special needs, aren’t really taken anywhere, so for this treat to come to them right at their doorstep at school makes them feel special and on top,” Wright told The Gleaner.
“We have had others carry ice cream and cake for the students during Child Month and Christmas time and we appreciate it. Sergeant Sealy was the first to bring a bounce- about, and I think he did a good job,” Wright added.