Adopt a classroom: Actress Penelope Spencer's appeal to help high-risk schools

As daily fetes and the countdown to playing mas gripped TT in the weeks before Carnival, drama teacher and actress Penelope Spencer made a public appeal. Adopt a classroom at high-risk schools.

“Go talk to them don’t be afraid. Adopt a classroom for at least a year. Let them know someone else care and appreciate them, especially when their parents may fail them. Let them know they are not alone," was the message Spencer shared, in a Sunday Newsday interview. She urged her fellow actors, artistes, celebrities, models, sportsmen and people in other professions to act.

Spencer made her first call on February 1, when she shared photos of her visit to Pt Cumana RC School. She met 13 students out of a class of 16, and commended their teacher as "exceptional" and a "great help" as she spoke to them.

"I laid down my rules about disciple manners and respect..if we cannot abide...then consequences will be put in place..they understood..I told a story and asked questions after....I hugged and loved them up...I tried to focus on the trouble makers without making it look too obvious...they seem to enjoy the 40 mins or so....PEOPLE we could do this...please GO ADOPT A CLASS...," she wrote on her page.

Spencer said months ago she came up with an idea to adopt a classroom because she was disgusted with the crime in TT which also involved children.

She said some of these children's parents no longer have the time to show them affection and they turn to the wrong people to feel included.

“We have parents from high-risk homes who are also overwhelmed. They don’t have time to teach children moral values any more, as we used to as children growing up.”

Spencer said she found one thing in common between some of the criminals and law-abiding citizens, “some of them went to a primary school at some point in their lives.”

She said long ago there was religious instruction in the classrooms and parents had time to sit down with their children, but nowadays the entire society is in a rush.

“If we as role models can help out the teachers at least for an hour it can make a difference in our society. Go to the high-risk schools because these schools hardly get any attention.

“All these criminals, all these abusers, these people who are negative to society these days, they all went to a school. If that is one place we can start to change the mindset of the children, let them know that freedom is important.”

She took again to Facebook, last week, to repeat her call after attending the funeral of her friend's 22-year-old son.

"...he tried talking to his son about his choices....his siblings...his granny....his teachers as well..no one got through..smh....We are losing our youths every day..it seems as if a whole generation will be missing soon...Please people go into the primary schools (especially, not exclusively) and ADOPT A CLASS...let our children hear a different voice...lead them away from negative life style, groom them to be good human beings...no more victims..let our children be victorious.. ..#adoptaclass, she wrote on March 4.

Spencer said young children especially boys need to understand it is okay to deal with pain and rejection.

She said some children who attend these schools go through a lot at their homes and the only way they know how to deal with issues is to lash out.

“These young children are very reactionary. Their first instinct is to attack. Nobody want to talk it out any more. They don’t want to talk to the teacher to say if there is a problem, everybody want to fight first.

“They don’t understand how to find ways to work out things or find solutions. We need to start talking more to them. I believe if we do this, crime in society, maybe in the next two or three years, will decrease.”

Spencer said while she is starting the programme in primary schools, it is her hope more people will get on board for it to reach students at the secondary level because it is never too late to help save a child.

“You can do storytelling, crafts, talk to the students, give them encouragement, sing a song with them, teach them to play the pan, teach them how to have self-confidence because these high-risk schools are overwhelmed."

She said children in society who come from high-risk communities need to know that there are people in other communities who care about them.

Spencer said with this effort, she believed young boys and girls would be able to handle their emotions and would be able to understand rejection.

“It is important for us to take a stand because they look up to us as role models. They love our music, everything we do, and they sometimes try to mimic us. They listen a little extra to us. I am tired of sitting down saying I don’t know what’s going on with crime in TT. I am fed-up sitting down doing nothing.

“The amount of hugs I give to these children you would be surprise to see how many of them just walk up to me and ask for a hug.”

Spencer said hugs are necessary to children and sometimes all a child want is to be held and hear the words “I love you.”

She said some of these children may never experience what it is felt to be hugged or to be loved.

“There are some children who are in need of that affection. Men who treat women badly, don’t know how to handle rejection and criminals do not understand the value of freedom. I want to help teach these children in any way I can.

“Teachers would identify these children to me and I would work with them. They need to understand the consequences of their action. When children reach a certain age, after they are in their teens, it is much harder to speak to them and some of them get caught up in gang activities.

Spencer said children need to know there are other alternatives than turning to a life of crime.

She said while there are some people who do a lot of voluntary work in the schools which society doesn’t hear about, more has to be done, to help the younger generation.

Spencer said there are simply things people take for granted and high-risk children will never be fortunate enough to have what is taken for granted by others.