Dear Coco Point Fund Friend,

We hope this letter finds you well. Excuse the lengthy update; but this past Fall has been transformative to the children of Barbuda and there is MUCH wonderful news to share!

Over the past year the Coco Point Fund vowed to become more resolute in our efforts to change education in Barbuda. Through much planning over the summer, we deployed a program through The Future Project, which has become a major partner with us to transform the lives of students at Sir McChesney George Secondary School — and, most excitingly, to empower them to transform Barbuda and take increasing ownership over its future.

The Future Project (thefutureproject.org) is an innovative, award-winning not-for-profit organization that trains extraordinary leaders in the community — who excel as coaches, life educators, igniters of passion and purpose, and role models of motivation and grit — to serve inside the school as Future Coaches for the young people.

These Future Coaches in turn provide students with individual and group mentorship designed to support them as they navigate life, explore their dreams for the future, and take steps toward bringing those dreams to life. More tangibly, coaches help students find personalized internships, connect with experts who can expose them to careers that may interest them, and give them opportunities to launch projects that improve their school and community. The Future Coaches also partner with community leaders and organizations to bring new extracurricular and leadership opportunities to the school, which both adults and students agreed was one of the biggest needs at Sir McChesney George. Young people emerge from this programming not only motivated personally, but also inspired to serve, lead, and improve the lives of others.

The program, launched in September with much fanfare, is being led by Allyson Trunzer, one of our very own scholarship recipients who returned to the island for this role. Over the past two months, our team of paid Future Coaches have held dozens of in-depth coaching sessions, started to offer workshops and educational experiences multiple times a week, provided support to teachers for basic supplies through a small Teacher Dream Fund, transformed the library space so it feels more safe and welcoming for students, and formed (or are in the process of forming) partnerships to bring music, robotics, academic support, dance, and other extracurricular offerings onto the campus. Plus, in response to an enthusiastic request from the principal and students alike, we have put plans in place to construct a new sports court on the school grounds over the next several months. 

Most importantly, students are already exploring their interests and launching passion-inspired projects. For example, one student (Jonathan) has begun constructing a garden on school grounds to grow fruit for the community. Another (Janaecia) organized an effort to honor Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and educate her peers about mental health issues back in September. And a third (Horashio) will be traveling to Antigua for a boxing tournament with the support of The Future Project’s micro-internship fund. In just two months, there is a new energy in the school — and we are seeing dreams of both students and teachers emerge and come to life in the community.

We also wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for those of you who have supported of CocoPoint Fund in the past. Since hurricane Irma in 2017 your generous contributions have made a significant impact on our students and teachers.

This new program with the Future Project is an opportunity to give the students and families a chance to grow their lives in ways never available to them before. Your support will help us ensure that our students have the resources they need to reach their full potential. We invite you to be a part of our journey by donating today.

Thank you again for your generosity and partnership.

Sincerely,

The Coco Point Fund Board of Directors:
Mike Smith, Craig Henderson, Joan M. Minshall, Tim Coleman, Emily Sommerfield Kunschner, Werner Minshall, Jeff Reed, Kerry Binard

For inquiries please contact: [email protected]

Contributions via Check may be mailed to:
“The Coco Point Fund”
C/O Joan Minshall
12 Oxford St
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
*Please make checks payable to The Coco Point Fund

If you need assistance donating through another financial vehicle please contact:
Joan M. Minshall at [email protected]

The Future Project Barbuda team officially began TERM TWO in early January! It’s hard to believe how quickly time has flown by… We are amazed by the changes we’ve been a part of and witnessed at SMGSS, which continuously fuels the purpose of the work we do.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING 

In early January, The Future Project Barbuda invited Mrs. Diann Beazer-Jeffers (Labor Management Consultant with 1199 SEIU) to host leadership and professional development workshops among faculty and selected students. Mrs. Jeffers (a native Barbudan residing in New York AND Darlene’s sister) shared her expertise in organizational leadership, highlighting the themes of purpose, intention, accountability, and collaboration. In the meantime, The Future Project Barbuda team will continue to meet regularly with student council members and prefects to support their development as school leaders!

BEACH CLEAN UP

On January 8th, TFP Barbuda collaborated with “Adopt A Coastline” to bring 40 students to River Dock for a beach clean up. Students collected 65 24-gallon bags of garbage and painted/ installed two repurposed garbage bins! “Adopt A Coastline” is an environmental initiative based in Antigua which aims to empower female and youth leaders. Among communities, they promote the monetization of crafts made from recyclable beach finds. The initiative has scheduled upcoming events for the remainder of the year, which our students plan to participate in!

EXTRA CURRICULARS 

TFP Barbuda recently launched an “Extra Curricular Fund” among teachers and community professionals to enhance activities at the school. Interested facilitators have been asked to complete an application form, pitching an activity/club/ team they would like to supervise. The fund assists with the purchase of activity materials, and awards a $500.00 XCD stipend to the facilitator upon the completion of 10 sessions. So far, we have received applications for a crochet club, yearbook club, and football team! This will add to the current roster of steel pan, culinary arts, track and field, basketball, and The Future Project programming!

PARENT-TEACHER CALLS

To help strengthen these relationships, we’ve asked teachers to reach out to the parents of their classrooms for “5-minute check in” calls. Each teacher was given a “call log” (script) to help guide the conversation pertaining to their students’ personal and academic progress, strengths, and areas needing more support.

SPECIAL EDUCATION GROUP

Since the first term, Darlene (our incredible Future Coach) has been offering her time on Wednesday afternoons to work with a small group of students experiencing learning challenges. With Darlene’s expertise in special education and curriculum development, she fills a neglected gap in the community, as there is not an active teacher or department focusing on this demographic in Barbuda. Darlene founded Barbuda SEED (Surpassing Expectations Erase Doubt) in October 2020, which enhances creative education and health opportunities on the island. Darlene has extended her resources to teachers and continues to hold space for these students in addition to the regularly scheduled classes!

COUNSELING AT SMGSS

Sparked by recent events, TFP Barbuda decided to shift focus and prioritize the need for a school counselor at SMGSS to improve overall mental and emotional wellbeing of the students. TFP Barbuda will be partnering with Dr. Jamion Knight of “The Mango Bucket Project” and “Mental Fitness Center” in Antigua to provide a set of virtual counseling sessions to students of concern. Dr. Knight plans to visit us in the spring, in which he has suggested to host community forums and training for teachers related to mental health and communal support.  

GUEST SPEAKERS

This month, we invited notable male community members to speak with the Form 3 Victory Class (all boys, ages 14-16). As many of these young men face pressures and challenges without positive guidance, we connected them with models who were open to share their personal life stories and encourage the youth. We greatly appreciate Brother Shiraz Hopkins, Coach Jermaine Joyce, and Mr. Edlawn Rae for dedicating their time and energy to our students! Moving forward, we plan to involve more professionals, and schedule a designated “speaker time” to include other classes!

DONATIONS 

Over the holiday, we received a shipment of donated gifts from Island Academy (IA) in Antigua! These items were collected through a donation drive organized by IA’s senior students, which included ping pong sets, notebooks, library books, and writing utensils. We thank Island Academy for their amazing commitment and look forward to other opportunities for collaboration in the future! 

BASKETBALL COURT

Tremendous progress has been made with the basketball court! Do It Right Construction has been working diligently to complete the project within the upcoming weeks. We are extremely grateful to the Coco Point Fund and PLH for the generous contributions which have made this court possible!  

SIDE NOTE: The SMGSS basketball team recently received their uniforms arranged and donated by Team Buda and Lil Links Supermarket, with designs created by recent graduate, Tyrell George! The team recently returned from their first game of the season in Antigua with an outstanding victory of 42-27 against St. Mary’s Secondary School!! Congratulations to the boys!!

It was such a pleasure to see familiar faces, Mr. and Mrs. Minshall, who visited the school while in Barbuda this month! As always, we are grateful to our donors of the Coco Point Fund for all the support which has made this program a success, and we look forward to continuing the work.

Excited to share a recap of how the first month is going for the Future Project at Sir McChesney George Secondary School! Please enjoy the following update below from Allyson Trunzer

Dear Coco Point Board,

We are nearing the end of our first month at Sir McChesney George Secondary School and it’s been an incredible start to the school year!! 

Darlene and I have met so many bright and inspired minds who are excited about the presence of The Future Project Barbuda and enthusiastic about making a difference in their school and greater community!

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS 

Jonathan (Form 1 Student), came to us on the first day of school, curious about what The Future Project Barbuda was all about. He mentioned his interest in becoming an engineer AND his current passion of growing fruits. Jonathan grows anything he can- citrus, avocados, mangos- you name it! He’s noticed food shortages on the island, and is moved to fill this gap. Jonathan is motivated to acquire a piece of land near the school to grow local fruits for his peers and the greater community! He has been meeting with Darlene (our incredible Future Coach!) weekly and working on a proposal to submit to the Barbuda Council.

The other day, Janaecia (Form 4 Student) highlighted that the school hadn’t promoted Suicidal Prevention Awareness Month and that she wanted to do something about it. As mental health is highly stigmatized in Barbuda (and the Caribbean), Janaecia wants to be a voice and shine light on the matter. On Monday, September 30th, Janaecia and her friend, Naora, plan to distribute over 100 handmade solidarity ribbons to her fellow peers to advocate for mental health in Barbuda and around the world!

We have established a safe, common space! The Future Project Barbuda has refreshed the look of the library, making it the new “place to be.” In addition to facilitating the “Library Skills” classes, The Future Project Barbuda Team supervises the library during free periods, which has brought a lot of new faces through the door! Students typically come to relax, work independently, do an activity, or just come by to say “hello!” This has improved unwanted loitering and idling on school grounds, and encouraged students to be more productive. We’re happy to be able to support this!

We are launching after school sessions! The Future Project Barbuda will be hosting “Portfolio Building Sessions” for 4th and 5th form students over the course of the year! Interested students will meet with us on Fridays to engage in skill-building activities, career exploration, community service opportunities, and gain support in post-secondary plans. We hosted an information session and had a great turn out of over half the 4th form class! We look forward to supporting the students as they build the futures they desire! 

Our team is growing! We warmly welcome Pastor Elliott (of the Seventh Day Adventist Church) to SMGSS as our Future Mentor!! Pastor Elliott comes with vast experiences working with young people across the Caribbean and abroad, and specializes in gang interventions. As we saw a need for male representation on our team, Pastor Elliott was the perfect fit who will work primarily with the Form 3 Victory Class (all male students ages 12-16). We truly look forward to the collaboration and positive influence he will have on the students!

Word of TFP Barbuda is spreading! The Future Project Barbuda was recently featured in The Daily Observer, Antigua and we are grateful for the opportunity to share the mission and intentions of the project! We have already made new connections through this feature which we look to further develop!

SMGSS celebrated 19 years! On Thursday, September 19th, Sir McChesney George Secondary School celebrated nineteen years since it was founded in 2005. The school hosted the event at Pentecostal Church which included a beautiful service of prayer and song, guest speakers, and awards! Students were awarded for their outstanding performances in academics. Additionally, Mrs. Esther Mussington was awarded for her 35 years of service in education! We are extremely proud of all the recipients as the school continues to “build a culture of excellence.”

STILL TO COME….

• More Extracurriculars! We are looking to launch more student-led/ teacher-supervised extracurriculars throughout the year! At this time, SMGSS desperately needs a Building Tech Teacher to engage students (mainly males) through technical trade. Should this position be unfulfilled, TFP Barbuda will look to add related after school workshops targeting male students.
• The Future Project Barbuda Team will launch 1:1 and small group coaching sessions for students in October!
• Class Support Resources will be arriving in Barbuda soon and will be distributed to the teachers next month! 

We are incredibly fortunate to bring The Future Project Barbuda to life because of your support! Thank you Coco Point Fund for your unwavering contributions and commitment to this project!
-The Future Project Barbuda Team

The Future Project – Barbuda officially launched yesterday during the first day of school at Sir McChesney George!

Allyson Trunzer and new team member Darlene Beazer-Parker created an inspiring, high energy first day to introduce the students to TFP – who Future Project is, what they will offer them throughout the year, what they can do for us – while also building some intentional buzz across the student body. 

Day One was different and memorable – and, according to Principal Harry, that is indeed what happened. He wrote to us last night: “I would like to formally express my sincere gratitude to [the] TFP team for making our first day of school truly special. It was one with a difference. I am really looking forward to the wonderful programs and projects that will be rolled out over the academic year. I am very excited about collaborating with you to “Build a Culture of Excellence” at our school.“

Here is a glimpse of what Allyson and Darlene are up to:

• There is already a buzz among students! Allyson & Darlene have already met dozens of students – both informally through the first-day photo boothand by sitting in classrooms – and have plans to meet everyone in the coming days. Teachers have been recommending students who they think will benefit from TFP programming and students have started sharing their ideas and dreams!!
• We have a class! We (TFP) have been asked by Principal Harry to lead the Library Sciences class! There was no teacher in place, so Allyson & Darlene will be able to use that time – during the school day! – to teach/coach students in the mindsets and skills that are core to TFP programming.
• The Teacher Dream Fund has launched! In addition, Allyson & Darlene attended teacher prep days last week so they could get to know the teacher community and learn more about their needs. They announced the Teacher Dream Fund – through which teachers can apply for micro-grants to purchase items they need for their classrooms.

As you can see, there is a LOT going on. Allyson is leading with clarity, purpose, joy, and so much commitment to her country and its people. We am so grateful that we are able to work with her on this incredible project for this school!

For more on the Future Project’s work visit https://www.thefutureproject.org/