KINGSTON, Jamaica — Ahead of critical national examinations, over 90 Jamaican high school students converged on the University of the West Indies campus recently for the one-day Reggae Jammin Mathematics Marathon, a community-focused academic support initiative designed to demystify a notoriously challenging subject and build student confidence. Unlike traditional high-pressure exam cram sessions, the full-day event was structured to foster encouragement over stress, combining structured guided tutoring, hands-on interactive problem-solving workshops, and one-on-one targeted support for students grappling with tricky mathematical concepts.
This event is the latest in a series of education-focused outreach efforts from Reggae Jammin, a brand that frames its youth investment as extending far beyond traditional corporate sponsorship. In an official press statement released Tuesday, Reggae Jammin Brand Manager Navron Henry emphasized that the marathon was far more than a simple tutoring clinic. “At Reggae Jammin, we believe in supporting young people both inside and outside of the classroom,” Henry said. “The mathematics marathon was more than just a tutoring session. It was an opportunity to encourage students, build confidence and remind them that they are capable of achieving great things. We are proud to play a role in empowering the next generation through education.”
Leading all instructional sessions was Demar Hemley, a veteran mathematics educator with 12 years of classroom and tutoring experience, and founder of Hemley’s Tutoring. The regional academic support organization, launched in 2021, was founded with the explicit goal of expanding accessible, high-quality academic tutoring across the Caribbean. For Hemley, who has organized independent exam preparation marathons for years, the chance to scale the initiative to reach more students through Reggae Jammin’s support was an immediate yes.
“I always do marathons before major exams so when Reggae Jammin contacted me, I immediately said yes because this would help students on a wider scale,” Hemley explained. “The students were excited and encouraged throughout the day, and they willingly participated in the sessions. By the end of the marathon, you could see their confidence growing as they gained a better understanding of the areas they were struggling with.”
That visible growth in student confidence did not go unnoticed by parents in attendance. Wesley Burger, a parent whose fifth-form daughter is preparing for upcoming exams at Jamaica’s prestigious Wolmer’s High School for Girls, praised the event’s timely arrival in the middle of exam preparation season. “It’s exam time, so practice, revision and clarity sessions are extremely helpful at this point,” Burger said. “The best part of the experience for me was knowing that the sponsors, Reggae Jammin, took the time to care.”
Burger added that he plans not only to participate in future iterations of the Mathematics Marathon but also to actively recommend the program to other parents and students across the island. The event aligns with Reggae Jammin’s long-standing commitment to investing in Jamaican youth through sustained education support and community-centered engagement, with organizers signaling plans to host the initiative again ahead of future exam cycles.