Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – October 25, 2018: Sandals Foundation partnered with over 100 elite digital influencers and celebrities recently to give the Ianthe Pratt Primary School a major facelift.

The volunteers, including designer Rebecca Minkoff, stylist Alli Webb, and Emmy Award-winning journalist Sam Champion, were at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resorts for the annual ‘Social Media on the Sand’ conference. They beautified the school grounds, painted several classrooms and play areas for the pupils as part of the foundation’s continued outreach programs.

The ‘mommy bloggers,’ some accompanied by their children, painted school murals and the courtyard with positive and educational messages.

The works are a continuation of ongoing post-hurricane repairs to the school which includes repairing damaged ceilings, installing missing handrails, new guttering to the school’s administration block, fixing leaks, repairing damaged walls and organizing the school’s library.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of Sandals Foundation noted that this latest volunteer outreach is part of the foundation’s commitment to ‘spreading the love’ with more schools across the Turks and Caicos Islands. “As you are very familiar, Sandals Foundation is really committed to education here in the Turks and Caicos and the rest of the Caribbean islands. So not only do we work on infrastructure and capacity building for teachers in our schools, but we try to get visitors, travel agents and travel partners involved in giving back in the Caribbean. This is an opportunity to do some inspiring spaces here at the school, but it’s also an opportunity for many of these people to bring attention to the great Caribbean and the world outside our hotel doors.”

Ianthe Pratt Primary School is home to over 500 students ranging from ages 4 to 12 years old. The school is one of several institutions that was adversely affected by 2017’s Hurricane Irma and Maria.

Clarke further stated; “We really want to share the love and ensure we are playing our part to help all our schools. Sandals Foundation has just recently completed $30,000 worth of work here at the school with plans to build upon this next year. Providing positive spaces with the right learning tools gives our children more inspiration to succeed and that is our mission.”

Neekimo King, Principal of Ianthe Pratt Primary School noted; “We’re happy that the volunteers were able to come here and put these creative things on our school compound. We’re hoping that will encourage our students to read and learn while playing.’

Media influencer Rachel Teodoro said; “I love being a part of anything that gives back. I think it’s so important to teach our families and our children and our future generation how to give back to other people and not to just focus on themselves. I think it’s such a great thing the Sandals Foundation is doing in the community they exist in.”

In May, Sandals Foundation completed extensive hurricane repairs to the Enid Capron Primary with the refurbishment of the school’s sick bay, canteen, teacher resource room and construction of a computer lab. The project which was conducted in partnership with American Friends of Jamaica and Yellow Bird Foundation also included the donation of 20 computers, furniture and literacy items for the lab.

The Sandals Foundation is fully committed to helping TCI schools recover from the recent hurricanes and looks forward to the further support of education as the foundation nears its 10^th year anniversary in 2019.