For some families in the Park Mountain community, preparing for the new school year meant choosing between replacing what Hurricane Melissa destroyed and purchasing the supplies their children needed for the classroom. 

That burden became lighter following a back-to-school treat hosted by the Mental Wealth Foundation at Park Mountain Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth on Thursday, August 20. Students received essential school supplies, motivational cards and a day of fun and encouragement before returning to the classroom.

Carlene Williams-Heath, principal of Park Mountain Primary and Infant School, said the support came at an important time for families still rebuilding their lives.

“This initiative has provided much-needed assistance to families as they prepared their children for the new school year. Back-to-school expenses can be significant under normal circumstances, but following a disaster, the burden becomes even greater,” Williams-Heath said.

The treat featured games and other activities for the children, while parents received gifts to ensure they felt included and appreciated. Lifespan Company Limited also provided more than 200 bottles of its naturally alkaline spring water to keep the children, volunteers and guests hydrated throughout the day.

Hurricane Melissa ripped roofs from the school’s buildings, resulting in the loss of furniture and educational supplies. Across the surrounding communities, families also experienced damage to their homes and property, the loss of basic necessities and major disruptions to daily life.

The hurricane’s effects extended beyond the physical destruction. Some students returned carrying the emotional weight of displacement, uncertainty, loss and anxiety, while interruptions to learning created academic gaps that teachers are working to address.

“The impact was not only physical but also emotional and educational. Many of our students returned to school carrying the effects of the disaster—displacement, uncertainty, loss and anxiety. The hurricane also contributed to interruptions in learning, making it necessary for our teachers to work even harder to help students regain their confidence and close learning gaps,” Williams-Heath said.

Those concerns reflected the Mental Wealth Foundation’s mission to help break the stigma surrounding mental health, encourage open conversations about well-being and help parents understand how to support their children during difficult times.

Mental Wealth Foundation founder and president Shaniqua Russell said mental health is personal to her and has influenced the organisation’s work with individuals, families and communities.

“Having experienced panic attacks in the past, I understand the importance of having support and being able to talk about how you feel. Through the Foundation, I hope to use my own experiences to encourage others and also support communities going through difficult periods, such as families affected by Hurricane Melissa who have had to cope with the emotional challenges of rebuilding and starting over,” Russell said.

Russell also placed motivational cards inside the students’ bags as small reminders of encouragement.

“Most importantly, our children are able to return to school better prepared and with greater confidence. A child should not have to feel disadvantaged in the classroom because their family is still recovering from a disaster,” the principal said.

The school community entered the new academic year with another reason for optimism. Eleven-year-old Jasonnia Beadle, the institution’s former head girl, emerged as Jamaica’s top-performing primary student in the 2026 Primary Exit Profile examinations after attaining 394.2 out of a possible 400 points.

Her achievement came despite the infrastructural damage sustained by the school and the class-rotation system introduced to facilitate repairs.

Williams-Heath said the school’s theme for the academic year, “Wings of Success, Rising Higher Through Excellence”, reflects its determination to ensure that difficult circumstances do not define the future of its students.

“We want our students to understand that challenges may affect their journey, but they do not have to limit how high they can rise. We want every child to return to school saying, ‘I can rise. I can learn. I can achieve. I can succeed,’” she said.

Park Mountain Primary and Infant School was selected for the treat because of its recovery needs and the connection Mental Wealth Foundation founder and president Shaniqua Russell has with the institution. Russell is a past student who served as head girl and received a scholarship while attending the school.

The Foundation had previously visited communities across St Elizabeth to assist with hurricane-relief efforts. After witnessing the devastation experienced by families, Russell decided to return to her former school with support focused on both preparation for the new academic year and the well-being of the children.

For Russell, returning as a former head girl and scholarship recipient was an opportunity to show children walking the same halls she once did that their present circumstances do not have to determine their future.

Lifespan Brand Manager Karonna Atkins said the company was moved by the purpose of the treat, the school’s academic achievement and the strength demonstrated by the Park Mountain community.

“The effects of Hurricane Melissa placed additional pressure on families who were already preparing for the back-to-school season. We believed it was important to stand alongside the community during its recovery and provide meaningful support where we could,” Atkins said.

She added that the partnership aligned with Lifespan’s commitment to hydration, education, wellness and sustainable community development. Atkins said the company wanted the children and community to know that their resilience and achievements were seen and celebrated.

While the treat addressed immediate needs, the school still requires resources to strengthen literacy and numeracy, address learning loss and improve access to technology. Continued psychosocial support and programmes that build resilience are also needed for students and teachers, along with teaching materials and infrastructure improvements.

“Our goal is not simply to recover from Hurricane Melissa but to rebuild stronger, restore hope and create an environment where every child can spread their wings and rise higher through excellence,” Williams-Heath said.