At Holland High School, Hurricane Melissa tore through classroom ceilings, leaving learning spaces so hot that teachers say the environment is no longer comfortable for teaching. At Rhodes Hall High School, displaced families and food insecurity have affected student attendance, with some students attending more consistently when the school can provide a warm meal.

School grants of $1 million each were presented to five institutions in western Jamaica: Maggotty High School in north-western St. Elizabeth; Rhodes Hall High School in Hanover; Mount Alvernia High School in St. James; Holland High School in Trelawny; and Petersfield High School in Westmoreland. The support is aimed at helping schools still recovering from Hurricane Melissa restore critical learning spaces, address infrastructure needs, and create more comfortable environments for students and teachers for the new school year.

For Holland High School, the grant will go toward restoring a more suitable classroom environment.

“We would have lost the ceiling in its entirety, and this resulted in the classrooms becoming very hot, which does not make the environment conducive to learning,” said Roxanne Blaygrove, teacher, Holland High School. “We will be using this grant to assist us in getting industrial fans for the classrooms, so that we can have an environment that is more conducive to teaching and learning for our students and teachers.”

At Rhodes Hall High School, the support will help the school respond to a different but equally pressing challenge: keeping students present, fed, and connected to learning.

“We have a lot of parents displaced, and as a result, it affected attendance,” said Conroy Bonnick, teacher,  Rhodes Hall High School. “We observed that students were coming to school when we were able to provide a warm meal for them. We are organising a breakfast programme, and this grant will definitely assist in a big way.”

Those are among the urgent educational needs now being supported through WATA’s Hydrate to Educate programme, which presented special grants to schools and students in western Jamaica during its Montego Bay awards luncheon on Wednesday, August 26 at S Hotel. The ceremony formed the second presentation under the 2026 Hydrate to Educate initiative. 

Jusanna Staple, Brand Coordinator, WATA portfolio, said adding a special grant to this year’s offering underscored the real purpose of Hydrate to Educate.

“This year, the needs are very clear. Schools are rebuilding, families are recovering, and students still have to continue their education,”Staple said. “Through Hydrate to Educate, WATA is helping to meet those needs practically, whether by supporting school repairs, better learning spaces, student expenses or programmes that help children remain in school.”

The Hydrate to Educate programme, now in its fourth year, has become one of WATA’s signature education support initiatives, providing direct assistance to students and schools across Jamaica. The programme is designed to ease some of the financial pressure associated with education, while helping schools address practical needs that affect the quality of teaching and learning. Through student grants, Hydrate to Educate supports expenses such as tuition, books, transportation, school supplies and other preparation costs. Through school grants, the initiative helps institutions improve learning environments, strengthen infrastructure, and respond to urgent needs that can affect students’ ability to learn in safe, comfortable and supportive spaces. Overall, this year’s programme will support 31 students and 14 schools across the island, offering a total of $20.2 million in grants.