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Amid the crime and violence that the country is facing, some members of the Boys and Girls Production in Annotto Bay, St Mary, have decided to try to help young people deal with their anger through a movie they produced called 'Mother Cry'.

As Tadrea Davis, the director, explains, the 90-minute movie, that a young man finds himself in a gang that has negative impacts on his life and the lives of his family.

It is only through the death of one of his family members that he tries to find a way out.

Davis explains that the movie, which was shot in his hometown of Annotto Bay, will be released on January 5, 2019, and that persons will be able to go to the theatre in the town or the Annotto Bay Primary School to enjoy the local production.

"Here in Annotto Bay, we are trying to get back to the place where we can sit in the theatre we have here and watch a movie as a community, not having to worry about gunshots or any form of bad thing happening to us," Davis said.

He said that people are fearful in Annotto Bay because of killings there, but they want a safer environment for the residents in and around the community, and they think this is a good way to get things going.

Last month, Annotto Bay recorded four murders in less than 48 hours, and this is the issue that Davis said the community is battling.

Overall, St Mary has seen an increase in murders as 32 persons have been killed, compared to 22 at the same time last year.

"We not only want to help youths deal with crime, but also to help with developing the community," he said.

For Davis, it takes people to build and make a community great, and that is the aim of the members of the Boys and Girls Production.

The production group started back in 2007 and is now controlled by Davis, Nicar Clegon, Santana Reid, and Ricardo Cousin.

The production is said to be going strong, and it is projects like these that they use to try bringing people together.

"The community is very supportive of us because they like the peace and they do not like when there is too much shooting. So, we try as best as possible to keep the peace by involving community members and youths in these projects," he said.

http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20181205/st-mary-group-makes-movie-steer-youth-gangs

P.S. Tadrea Davis is currently enrolled in the Bachelor in Education Programme at the GC Foster College.

Thousands of Jamaicans from diverse social backgrounds gathered together at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus Sunday morning to "Run for Dreams " as the CB Group/UWI Scholarship 5K Run is tagged. This was the seventh renewal of the event, which seeks to fund scholarships for financially challenged and deserving students.

With a blast of red confetti and a vibrant shout, the event got under way, with participation in three principal categories: 5K Run, 5K Walk, Wheelchair and the Smart Eggs 1K for minors.

Garfield Gordon, representing GC Foster College, took the top honours in the men's overall, in a time of 15.01 minutes. He was followed by two University of Technology representatives, Shane Buchanan and Thaleetio Green, clocking 15.46 and 16.05 respectively.

The women's open run went to another GC Foster representative, Kellyanne Beckford, in 19.25, ahead of Arita Martin, of Rainforest Seafood (20.26) and GC Foster's Chrisanni May.

WALKERS

 The walkers section was won by Duwell Allen, of Nothern Caribbean University, ahead of Lenworth Hunter and O'Shea Morgan. The women's walk event went to Abnakay Swaby with Carlene Blagrove in second and Latoya Walker, third.

The Smart Eggs Kids K saw Brandon Davis and Aneita Martin Gutzmer take the honours, while Paralympians Navardo Griffiths and Sylvia Grant topped the Wheelchair section. GC Foster were named top overall team.

UWI principal, Professor Dale Webber, thanked all the participants, patrons and sponsors for making the event a success, and spoke to the importance of partnerships in sustaining and advancing the programmes of the university.

The presentation ceremony saw special citations being presented to Olympic 110 metres hurdles champion Omar McLeod and to the Jamaican Women's Football team - the Reggae Girlz who made history after becoming the first Caribbean team to qualify for the Women's World Cup, which takes place in France next year.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20181114/gordon-beckford-top-cb-groupuwi-5k-run

Written by: Richard Lynch, GC Foster Media Tech Journalism Club Writer  

October is observed as Breast Cancer awareness month and it is celebrated under the theme “Give Hope Save Lives.” On the 12th of October, members of the G. C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport family dedicated the day to the Survivors of Breast Cancer.  Cancer, according to the World Health Organization, is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. From those figures, breast cancer accounted for 2.09 million cases. 

This deadly disease starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. These cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on an x-ray or felt as a lump. The tumor is malignant (cancerous) if the cells can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs almost entirely in women, however it is very rare in men. 

For years, families around the world have lost their friends and loved ones to Breast cancer leaving them heartbroken, and in pain. As usual, men and women locally are being asked to show support for breast cancer survivors and those battling the disease by wearing pink ribbons or clothing.

 Survivors of breast Cancer are encouraged to never give up the fight, for the battle is not for the swift but for who can endure to the end. They are also encouraged to believe that they are stronger, smarter, and twice as beautiful than they ever could imagine.

Our thoughts, prayers, support and care are with those who are suffering from this disease

Reference

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/what-is-breast-cancer.html

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The St Catherine-based G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport and Sam Sharpe Teachers' College, in St James, have forged an alliance to change the way physical education courses are taught in Jamaica, through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), yesterday.

The MOU signing between the two tertiary-level institutions was done at the Montego Bay campus of the Sam Sharpe Teachers' College. The plan will see both institutions sharing a set of new programmes as well as faculty in a bid to bolster sport-fitness courses both at the academic and physical levels.

"This partnership is something that we feel will encourage enrolment and young people to recognise that sports is a business," said David Mais,, chairman of G.C .Foster.

"The students who are being enrolled are coming in with their high standard of high school education, will see sport as the opportunity it is. So the way forward is to find ways to fully utilise our facilities at G.C. Foster and Sam Sharpe Teachers College," added Mais.

The 45-hour short courses to be offered at the start of the new school year at both institutions will include sports massages, fitness instruction, programme writing, and recreation, among other areas. The courses will be done throughout the work week or on the weekends.

The institutions, however, will, over time, introduce a number of advanced programmes to include bachelor degrees.

"Initially, it is going to be the academic side because we have to make a start, but the possibilities are endless," said Norman Reid, chairman of Sam Sharpe Teachers' College.

CONSTANT UPGRADING

 "Of course, there will be a constant upgrading of the teaching certification, particularly for those teachers who were trained, years ago and who are working in the primary-school system. Some of them are still diploma trained and they now have the possibility of getting certification at the first-degree level here at Sam Sharpe," added Reid.

Reid further noted that sports in western Jamaica is changing, which is evident in the activities going on at Rusea's High in Hanover and Petersfield High School in Westmoreland. He said this partnership would open up the doors for the west to become a powerhouse in sports once again.

"So this is what we want to do. We want to start at the academic side, where we upgrade our coaching staff, we focus on sports medicine, the other sports not getting attention, and we bind everything together so that the west becomes really dynamic in sports," added Reid.

Article Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20180727/gc-foster-and-sam-sharpe-tc-forge-sporting-partnership