Students at Clement Howell High School who are enrolled in the two-year hospitality training programme, Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) in Commercial Food Preparation, are now better equipped to conduct their practical sessions following the donation of key appliances and resources valued at over US$9,000 by the Sandals Foundation. 

The Food & Nutrition lab which serves as a space for practical lessons for some 300 students in the Home Economics Department, was outfitted with premium cookware, baking utensils, glasses, serving utensils, cutting-edge deep fryers, toaster ovens, digital microwaves, ice cream makers, full complements of bar stools and dining furniture, cooking utensils, linens, and a much-needed printer with scanner and copier.

Karen Zacca, Operations Director at the Sandals Foundation said it was important for the philanthropic arm of Sandals and Beaches to respond to the school’s call for assistance and support hospitality training and certification through the programme.

“One of the Sandals Foundation’s key areas of focus is to empower young people by providing them with the tools and resources they need to receive training to expand their skill sets so they can achieve their professional goals and have more livelihood opportunities,” Zacca said.

“With this donation, we are doing just that and enabling the next generation of service leaders to receive the necessary training and certification, opening up a world of opportunity for them in the region’s largest economic industry,” she continued.

Head of the Home Economics Department, Dhrupattie Khan, at Clement Howell High School, explained how beneficial the donation will be for the students during the handover.

“We have a two-year CVQ training programme for students in the Home Economics Department who want to specialise in commercial food preparation. This amazing donation from the Sandals Foundation will now allow these students to gain practical hands-on experience as they build their portfolios and receive the requisite Caribbean-wide academic certification upon completion which will definitely make them more employable,” said Khan.

The project forms part of 40 sustainable programmes of the Sandals Foundation to mark the 40th anniversary of Sandals Resorts International, and builds on the charitable arm’s as well as Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort’s longstanding support of Clement Howell High School. In previous years, the Foundation outfitted both computer rooms with computers and a digital Wi-Fi tower to support students’ digital literacy educational development. The learning institution has also benefitted from the donation of dozens of books to support its library that was constructed by Sandals Foundation, as well as musical instruments to support their ongoing music programme, teacher training, and the refurbishment of the canteen.

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