Education | American-Caribbean Experience

It’s in the Bag

by American-Caribbean Experience | Aug 25, 2025 | Community, Education

Every year, we host our annual Backpack Distribution to provide students with the supplies they need to succeed in the classroom. Thanks to our ACE friends and family, we were able to equip 170 students across 30 schools, from infant/basic and primary schools, to high schools and special needs schools.

Depending on their needs, each child received pens, pencils, markers, crayons, composition notebooks, folders, glue sticks, a uniform, and in some cases, even shoes. For Jahvaun, a young boy who wears leg braces, the gift of two new pairs of Crocs from his sponsor brought the biggest smile to his face. His excitement was a powerful reminder of how something as simple as a new pair of shoes can make a world of difference.

But it’s not just the physical gifts in the bag that impact our students. What’s truly gifted in each bag is hope for the coming school year and a reminder that these children are loved by God!

Backpack Distribution is one of the busiest times of the year for our ACE staff and requires a lot of planning and coordination. From confirming each student’s school status to ensuring the right uniform materials are purchased (each school has its own specific color and shade), our team works tirelessly to make it all come together.

As usual, we faced several challenges. We encountered our normal challenges, such as parents forgetting to pick up school reports or needing reminders to attend their appointed distribution day. But this summer also brought a unique challenge — a gap in teams on our calendar left us short on backpacks. Our mission teams play a vital role in bringing school supplies and backpacks in their suitcases in preparation for Backpack Distribution. While this may have slowed our team down, it allowed us to prepare for the distribution with extra care. It also gave our staff time to focus on unfinished projects, like painting the campus and working on Mr. Brooks’ house.

Even still, we had an incredible blessing arise out of a tragedy. Following the tragic loss of Sam, a young man from the Rebel Ministries team, funds raised at his funeral were donated to ACE. These funds helped us purchase the remaining school supplies needed, turning a moment of sorrow into a blessing for the children of St. Mary. It’s a powerful reminder that God works everything out for good and His provision shines through, even in the face of challenges.

And praise God! The week went incredibly smoothly, and our parents expressed deep gratitude for the support they received.

Backpack Distribution may be over, but our work continues year-round. You can still support the children of St. Mary by donating to our Walmart and Target registries (linked here or through the buttons below), where you can purchase school supplies that ship directly to our staff to keep our students equipped throughout the year.

Thank you for continuing to support our children and help them thrive.

May God bless you all,
Althia

Shop Our Walmart Registry

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The Long Game

by American-Caribbean Experience | Aug 25, 2025 | Book A Trip, Education

AMBER SMITH

The ACE Sponsorship Program was established 20 years ago and has touched the lives of over 650 children and their families. The program offers a unique opportunity to invest in the youth of Jamaica, specifically in St. Mary. The commitment level our sponsors have continually shown over the years is paramount. We have seen children’s Sunday School classes put coins together to sponsor a child. Elderly couples who sponsor multiple children and send monthly letters of encouragement. Parents who choose to sponsor a child the same age as their own children to cultivate friendships. Sponsorship stories are diverse, yet all share a common thread of inspiration in which people give to bless someone.

One such sponsor is Jenny Carson. She decided to make a long-term investment by sponsoring siblings, Ashley and Ashawn, for nine years. She celebrated their birthdays by sending gifts and writing letters in between. She watched them grow up. Unfortunately, Jenny became ill and was unable to work, so she made a tough decision to end her sponsorship. This year, Ashawn graduated from Primary School. When Jenny received an email with his graduation photo, she was so grateful and instantly shared the photo that was taken when she first began sponsorship (photos shown below). The photo shows Jenny holding little Ashley and the children’s mother holding tiny Ashawn, depicting the heart of sponsorship. We are so grateful for people like Jenny who choose to become sponsors and impact the lives of others.

Another longevity sponsor is Arlene Curran. Arlene met Ruschell when she was in basic school (preschool/kindergarten in the U.S.). Ruschell was so little and shy. The 12 years of sponsorship were filled with an abundance of school supplies, birthday gifts, funding home repairs, and even assisting Ruschell’s mother with cancer treatment. Every year, their friendship grew deeper, and now, Arlene is considered a part of Ruschell’s family. They share photos of significant events and even gift Arlene with personalized presents as well. Last month, Ruschell graduated from high school and plans to attend teachers’ college to become a basic school teacher. Arlene made the long-term investment in Ruschell, and now Ruschell is choosing to pay it forward.

The ACE Sponsorship Program is unique in that we don’t seek the quick, easy, and fast. Rather, we play “the long game.” Slow and steady investments and believing that God will bless our efforts. We choose to give without wanting anything in return. However, we often get more than we ever imagined possible.

If you are interested in making an impact and becoming a sponsor, please contact Amber Smith at amber@acexperience.org or visit our Sponsorships page for more information.

sponsor child through American-Caribbean Experience

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ACE’s Four Impact Buckets Unite for Spring!

by American-Caribbean Experience | Mar 26, 2025 | Community, Discipleship, Education, Outreach

What a fantastic start to our 2025 outreach year in St. Mary, Jamaica! In February, our medical and dental teams served the community, providing exams, cleanings, fillings, and other essential wellness services.

This month, our ACE team, along with volunteers from the States, helped feed and care for many elderly and special needs neighbors who lack support. They also helped clean their homes. It was inspiring to see college and high school students make such a significant impact in the lives of the lonely and hungry. In just four days, we received an overwhelmingly positive response to our staff and volunteers’ loving hospitality.

The Ricardo Ranch

While love, care, and support are essential, nothing compares to the impact of a dedicated team like the one from Ringgold Baptist in Ringgold, GA. Each year, they generously offer their construction skills to address a critical need: providing safe, dry housing for those in need.

This year, they supported Ricardo, a construction worker who suffered a life-changing accident when he fell from a roof and broke his neck. Despite being paralyzed from the waist down, Ricardo’s spirit and hope inspire everyone around him, making it hard for anyone to complain.

Thanks to ACE’s commitment and the many hands that joined in, we built Ricardo a new home. Just today, Ricardo moved in and can finally call this place home, all thanks to the generosity of those who dedicated their time to make a difference in his life.

Education & Edgehill

Many of you may remember that ACE is the primary sponsor for helping Edgehill School of Special Education meet its specific needs outside the classroom. This year, we aimed to transform a large closet into a computer lab, where 13 donated computers and a whiteboard will enable special needs students to access the world beyond their reach.

Construction began one day and was completed by noon the next. All that remains is for the electrician to install the electrical outlets, and then we’ll be ready for the students to embark on their journey to explore the “safe web.”

Our volunteers enjoyed reading, singing, and interacting with the classes during construction. It’s hard to say who had more fun at Edgehill—us or the students.

Help for Hampstead

Volunteers can’t discuss ACE without mentioning the “bucket brigade.” It’s true—ACE is known for tackling challenging projects in just a few days.

This week, Hampstead Primary School, one of our sponsored schools, requested our help to finish their multi-purpose court, which will be used for sports events and general assemblies. This month, we began constructing the seating for attendees.

This will be a full summer program, as it takes more than just a few days to complete. ACE is committed to our students and schools. If you’ve never participated in a “bucket brigade,” there’s still plenty of time to sign up. Many hands make the work light!

Hampstead Elementary School Construction Project

Fun and Discipleship during the Hampstead Elementary School Construction Project

Bucket Brigades at Hampstead Elementary School

Pigs & Microbusinesses

What do pigs and microbusinesses have in common? In some businesses, the answer might be a lot of fat. But not with ACE! The Green Life Farm pig pen business is thriving at Buccaneers, where Jamaicans flock to enjoy delicious jerk pork sandwiches and ribs.

Our pigs have outgrown their pens. So this month, with the help of volunteers from Kansas City Christian School, we tore down the old pens and constructed new ones—all in one day! This is what happens when you have seniors in tip-top shape doing the work. Our farm staff truly appreciated the assistance.

While most of the work is completed, we still have a few posts and some painting left. The pens almost look nice enough to spend a little time with the pigs… almost!

In other great news, we recently received a call from a couple we’ve come to love, Marty and Christa Bevel from Kentucky. They asked if they could assist on the farm for a month. Our answer was a resounding YES! We met Marty and Christa years ago and invited them to visit ACE about four years back. This time, they felt called by God to help us, and we couldn’t be more grateful. God always brings us the most incredible help!

Spiritual Development

Marty and Christa are knowledgeable about pigs, chickens, cows, and all things farming. More importantly, they have an incredible love for Jesus, which shines through in everything they do.

The Jamaican staff at the farm has fallen in love with them and even asked them to stay longer. Marty leads daily staff devotions to start the day, while Christa invests in the ladies on the farm and our ACE staff. We have all come to love them and will miss them when they return to Kentucky. But we’re keeping the lights on for them and expect a return visit. Please pray for a longer stay!

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Marla’s Minute: Back to the Future

by American-Caribbean Experience | Oct 28, 2024 | Book A Trip, Community, Education, Outreach

Before COVID, ACE was rather successful in our community outreach in and around our four partner public primary schools. The model ACE created was based on “going deep and not wide.” First, we form a partnership with one of our rural primary schools in the area that lacks funds and opportunities for their students, unlike the city schools of Kingston, Montego Bay, Ochi, etc.

Second, ACE forms a 10-year minimum relationship with the principal and teachers at the school. ACE receives a list of all of the students in need of sponsorship, and the children get added to our Child Sponsorship Program. Through sponsorship, we dig even deeper into the students’ homelives, where relationships are formed with everyone living in the home. ACE can then also discover any medical, dental, or other healthcare needs of the student and their family members.

From that community, many elderly and special needs members are met by ACE volunteers and employees with a helpful and compassionate hand and heart.

All that and more came to a full stop almost four years ago with the COVID shutdown. Schools closed, infirmaries and hospitals closed their doors to visitors, and for the most part, ACE lost all progress we had spent decades building.

Then God did something fantastic! He opened a door to start creating businesses on a piece of property we now own call Green Life Farms.

For the past three years, volunteers have come to help us “work the farm.” Cutting bushes, discovering ruins, raising pigs and cows, picking fruit, and helping an old farm with history become a modern-day working property for our Jamaican community. With our food court, Buccaneers Jerk and Juice, Treasure Chest, and Cloud 9 Chocolate, we were able to survive the downturn in the economy.

During that time, many friends were probably wondering if we would ever “come off the farm” and get back to what we do best—“changing lives and transforming communities.” Even we wondered that at times. But the time has finally come.

Looking into the future and even starting right now, ACE is back in our communities with open arms from our teachers, neighbors, and infirmary patients. Unfortunately, the government-run infirmary still hasn’t opened to groups and has a strict policy of visitors. Interesting enough, we have found more “shut ins and disabled adults” living on their own and barely surviving right in our own community. So, we’ve started our own elderly ACE Mobile Infirmary (AMI) visits. That’s the silver lining behind the COVID closings of the infirmary.

ACE is now BACK to the FUTURE. We’re getting back into our schools and communities. Just this week, a family from Gainesville, GA, surprised us with a visit and built a homeless man a house, followed by our ACE Board of Directors finishing the home with paint and a single bed. If you are considering a trip down to Jamaica this coming winter or sometime in 2025, please prepare to go back to our communities, see old friends and meet new friends. We are thrilled. Yes, we like farm work, but ACE loves those relationships.

When you come down next, be sure to bring all the hugs and energy you can. We have three years to make up!

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Displays of Gratitude for Backpack Distribution Days

by American-Caribbean Experience | Aug 26, 2024 | Education, Outreach

Long-time volunteer Arlene is currently in Jamaica helping ACE with our annual Backpack Distribution Days as we kick off a new school year. The following article is Arlene’s recap of this year’s event.

If it’s mid-August, then it must be time for me to journey back to Jamaica for our annual Backpack Distribution Days. It’s that hectic, crazy, fun three days when we give our students their new backpacks, complete with school supplies, ready-made uniforms, and/or fabric for ones that need a seamstress. Despite the heat–and yes, it’s very hot this time of year–it is something I look forward to every year.

The process starts with the students expressing their gratitude to their sponsors. We alternate each year between having them make a Christmas gift and writing thank-you notes. Our primary students are given a card with a picture to color and then inside, they write their thank you note. Our Second Story students, high schoolers grades 7-11, write their thank you notes on a store-bought note card. When they have finished this, they go to the next station to have Mr. Gooden review our contract with their parents. This contract lists our requirements for the students in our program and helps hold them accountable.

The next stop in our Backpack Distribution Days event is always the childrens’ favorite part—getting their backpacks. (See below for a couple of photos showing the children’s delight when looking into the backpack.) Of course, my favorite part in all of this is that I get to interact with each of our students while I take pictures of them including full-body photos for their personal page in our database and head-shots for their sponsors’ Christmas gifts.

Out of 157 students, there are always those reluctant few who just won’t smile, no matter how hard I try! And on the other side of the spectrum, we always have those charmers who want to do some extra poses. But the most noticeable takeaway each year is how tall they’ve grown. Some of our young men are now so tall that I jokingly said I might need a stepladder next year to take their head shots.

This year, in addition to the school supplies, each family went home with peanut butter, jelly, and two packs of fortified rice. We are so grateful to our friends in the States who purchase these rice packs for us. They are definitely a gift of mercy and love.

What stood out to me most this year was the overwhelming gratitude of our parents for our assistance in helping them care for and educate their children. One mother was so grateful that she had her child put on his school uniform to have us take and send pictures of him to his sponsors thanking them.

I am so thankful to God for the strength and stamina He has given me that makes it possible for me to return each August to be a part of Backpack Distribution Days!

Backpacks lines up for our Backpack Distribution Days

A Student in our ACE Child Sponsorship Program Receiving a Backpack

ACE student in our child sponsorship program

Student in our ACE Child Sponsorship Program

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A Sponsor’s Story

by American-Caribbean Experience | Jul 29, 2024 | Book A Trip, Community, Discipleship, Education, Outreach

BY TINA STUBBS

In 2011 the school where I worked, Heritage Academy, began sponsoring Anthony, or Antonio as he was known then. He was ten years old, and we were told he was very shy and hesitant to speak. He was at Hampstead Primary School and eventually began attending Edgehill School for Special Needs.

When I first met Anthony in person, he was indeed quiet, but, when encouraged, his smile made my day! He thrived at Edgehill and grew in height A LOT! Each year when we visited the school, I would look for him. There he’d be, a head taller than most of the other students. I’d catch his eye and there would be a twinkle in it as he gave me a quick smile. When we got the chance, he’d give me a hug.

Along with academics, Anthony learned life skills at Edgehill, like carpentry and gardening skills to build garden boxes. In the fall of 2020, my current employer, Sugar Hill Christian Academy, my family, and another ACE sponsor began co-sponsoring Anthony. After graduating out of Edgehill a year later, Anthony became part of the ACE Apprenticeship program. He is learning farming skills, personal responsibility, and is being mentored by some of ACE’s best!

Over the years, we’ve been able to provide many necessities to him, but this past December, Amber, ACE’s Stateside Sponsorship Coordinator, reached out and shared Anthony’s Christmas wish. He asked for a bed. All his sponsors came together and provided the funds for a new bed. While in Jamaica this past June, Diana Kissing and I were able to visit Anthony at his home and give him a set of sheets provided by Diana!

What a joy it has been over the years to watch Anthony grow from that shy little boy to the confident young man he’s become!!