PROJECTS

Guidance Counselor

The Issue: In most schools in North America, there is a professional available in schools that students can turn to for assistance with many issues both academic and personal. Currently, MHS has no such person. The head mistress is bogged down with the responsibility of attempting to assist with these problems while fulfilling her role as head mistress. Kids have no one to confidentially discuss issues like sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, abuse (both in school or at home), future careers, financial difficulty and many topics that sometimes can be alleviated by speaking with someone who can guide.
The Solution: The current school board has no budget to pay such a person, through fund raising, MHSAA could pay for (even if its part-time) someone to fill this role. This would cost approximately G$30,000 monthly, approximately US$150. Pennies when considering the benefits.

School Lunch (and Breakfast) Program

The Issue: Many students at Mackenzie High School are from families that are poverty stricken. Something as simple as lunch or money for lunch is not available to them. Some of them, on a daily basis, have to choose between having money for transportation to and from school and purchasing lunch.
The Solution: Through fundraising, donations, and diligent money management, a month food budget to purchase monthly groceries for the cafeteria. Either a paid volunteer or the current cafeteria worker could be paid extra to cook breakfast and lunch for the kids whose parents can’t afford to provide a meal every. Learning is almost impossible on an empty stomach.

Emergency communication System

An Intercom & Telephone System (Between the Main Building & Lichas)
The Issue: The lack of communication between the school is cause a lot of time to be wasted during the school day and poses a possible security risk. If there is a problem on either side of the school, currently, someone has to physically walk from building to building to convey a message.
The Solution: There are currently telephone lines in place at both sections of the school but no actual instruments. MHSAA raise the money to donate either one or two telephones or some sort of intercom system.

New Furniture

The Issue: The state of the furniture at MHS currently is atrocious. The desks and chair are broken down, clearly uncomfortable and even dangerous. Kids are at time forced to share a desk because of the lack of furniture.
The Solution: Approximately G$150,000 in new furniture which can be built by a local carpenter. The money will provide a new desk and chair for every student from forms 1 to 3. We can begin there and then take on the situation at main building.

Digital Projector

The Issue: MHS does not have access to this valuable teaching tool for the computer classes.
The Solution: The prices on these ranges from US$300 to US$1,400.

Prizes and Trophies for Speech Nights and Sports

The Issue: With Speech Night and Inter-House and Inter-School Sports fast approaching, the school unfortunately has no trophies, plaques, or award tokens to reward the well deserving. In Guyana such things are incredibly expensive.
The Solution: Again, MHSAA’s fundraising efforts can assist with this as well.