Students at Hayes Primary and Infant School in Clarendon will now have an easier time getting to classes and school events, thanks to a major donation from Jamaican-born, South Florida-based entrepreneur Jeane Russell.
In April, Russell handed over a 2018 Toyota Hiace bus to her former school — the result of a two-year fundraising effort by her team in the United States. The vehicle is the first of its kind for the institution, which serves more than 500 students.
“This project has been in the works for quite some time. With planning, fundraising and overcoming hurdles, shipping the bus wasn’t easy but every obstacle was worth it. It means a lot to the children and the school,” Russell told Observer Online.
Acting vice principal Georgia Bissoon said the school previously had no means of transport for students, making field trips and off-site events logistically challenging and costly. “The acquisition of this bus means a lot for the students, who will benefit greatly when the need arises for them to represent their school at events,” she said.
The donation continues Russell’s decades-long philanthropic relationship with Hayes Primary and Infant. Since 1999, she has contributed educational materials, laptops, tablets, a refrigerator, and launched a breakfast program for students in need. In 2022, the school recognized her generosity with a Special Award.
Russell, now president and CEO of Carib Medical Center in South Florida, was born in Hayes and attended the school in the 1980s. At the time, she often walked up to six miles to attend classes — an experience that has stayed with her since migrating to the United States more than 40 years ago.
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“I am grateful. Thankful to everyone who made this day possible,” she wrote on Instagram. “I pay tribute to the principal, teachers, and staff. It’s been a long-awaited occasion. Thank you for supporting this deserving cause. My forever happy place: Hayes Primary and Infant School.”
