As the 2026 academic year approached, a youth-led service organization in Antigua turned a targeted community support plan into tangible change for hundreds of school-aged children, beating their own outreach goals to deliver critical learning tools to families facing financial strain.
The Rotaract Club of Antigua wrapped up its 2026 *Equipped to Excel* Back-to-School Initiative on August 31, a project designed to ease the heavy financial burden many households shoulder when preparing children for a new school term. By distributing pre-packed backpacks stuffed with essential supplies across 16 primary schools in both Antigua and Barbuda, the organization ensured no student would start the year lacking the basic tools they need to thrive in the classroom.
What started as a goal to support 200 primary school students ultimately grew to reach 209 children, thanks to generous donations from local corporate and community sponsors, as well as coordinated support from Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Education. Education Officer Andrea Airall played a central role in the project’s success, coordinating directly with school administrations across different education districts to identify families with the greatest economic need, ensuring donations reached those who would benefit most rather than being distributed broadly.
Each supply package given to students included a durable backpack alongside core classroom items: exercise books, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, pencil cases, and organizational folders. These seemingly small items can add up to a significant expense for low-income families, and having them provided for free removes a major source of stress ahead of the first day of class.
“Our children are the bedrock of our nation’s future, and every single one of them deserves a fair shot at academic success, no matter what their family’s financial situation looks like,” said Alketz Joseph, Director of Community Service for the Rotaract Club of Antigua. “Through the Equipped to Excel initiative, we were able to change the trajectory of the new school year for 209 kids, sending them back to class with confidence and all the tools they need to excel. This project is a reflection of the shared commitment Rotaract and our sponsors have to lifting up our community and investing in the next generation.”
The organization extended sincere thanks to all partners who made the initiative possible, including corporate sponsors Marshall & Co., Fleetwave, Stargate Imports, CCAA Consultancy, community supporter Mr. Anthony Astaphan, and local children’s nonprofit Happy Kids Antigua. Additional recognition went to Andrea Airall, the Ministry of Education, participating school leaders, club volunteers, and every individual supporter who contributed time or resources to the project.
*Equipped to Excel* is part of the Rotaract Club of Antigua’s 2026-2027 official service plan, developed under the organization’s presidential theme “Leading with Heart, Serving with Purpose.” The initiative reinforces the club’s longstanding core commitments to expanding educational access, supporting youth development, and creating measurable, positive change for local communities.
The 16 primary schools that received supplies through the initiative are: Five Islands Primary School, Pares Primary School, J.T. Ambrose Primary School, Old Road Primary School, Willikies Primary School, Mary E. Pigott Primary School, Jennings Primary School, Liberta Primary School, T.N. Kirnon Primary School, S.R. Olivia David Primary School, Buckleys Primary School, Pigotts Primary School, Golden Grove Primary School, Freemans Village Primary School, Potters Primary School, and Bendals Primary School.
The Rotaract Club of Antigua is a youth-led service organization affiliated with Rotary International District 7030. Its mission centers on developing young leaders, fostering collaborative community fellowship, and improving local quality of life through sustainable, partnership-driven projects focused on the most pressing needs across Antigua and Barbuda.