Harbour View Primary School’s track and field program received a significant boost on Friday morning, thanks to a generous donation from retired Jamaican Olympian Juliet Campbell. The three-time Olympian, a past student of the school and current Marketing Manager for Running at Puma, donated 13 pairs of Puma running and jumping spikes along with JMD$20,000 to assist the school’s young athletes.

Principal Calvin Walters expressed gratitude for Campbell’s support, emphasizing the impact the donation will have on student-athletes.

“Based on what she would have turned over for today—13 pairs of spikes and the monetary amount of JMD$20,000—that would seriously, in a positive way, provide us with the necessary additional spikes that will aid in the performance of our students on the track, so it's a great contribution. We're looking forward now to having our school being her primary donor. We have to thank her for that,” he told Sportsmax.TV shortly after the handing over Friday morning.

Walters noted that the students were thrilled to receive brand-new spikes, as many of them come from humble backgrounds.

“The students were elated. A number of our students come from poor backgrounds, so we would have provided some of them with used spikes, and they are now getting new spikes. So they were very elated and thankful,” he said.

Speaking on the significance of the donation, Campbell explained that it was the natural follow-up to the Kids Treat and Yard Sale she organized for the school in December.

“It was well received. This is the end result of what we started in December with the treat and community yard sale to raise funds for the school. So we did that, raised the funds, but we didn’t get a chance to present it because the treat was done just before Christmas. Then we had the Christmas holidays and school was out, so now was the right time to go and donate the funds and some shoes, equipment,” she explained.

Campbell also met with the school’s track and field team and shared her vision for ongoing support.

“(I) met with the track team, the kids are excited about what’s happening, and this is the first of many things that I’ll try to do with Harbour View Primary,” she said.

“Harbour View Primary has now become my project. I will help to facilitate the development of their facilities. They have a really good group of young athletes, not just track and field but soccer, netball, basketball.”

The JMD$20,000 donation will go towards helping the school cover training expenses at Stadium East Track, an essential part of their preparation for competition.

“We utilize the Stadium East Track, and that comes at a cost, so (the money) will go towards assisting us in covering those costs for outside training,” Walters explained.

Campbell is already looking beyond this initial donation, with plans to assist in upgrading the school’s sporting facilities. She will meet with school officials on Monday, February 17, to discuss potential initiatives.

“I am looking forward to getting on board with them and for us to put our brains together and see how best we can get funds to develop the facilities. That is the core of what the meeting will be about on Monday.”

Walters confirmed that the meeting will explore rehabilitating the school’s field and establishing fundraising activities to support further development.

Campbell’s commitment to Harbour View Primary continues to grow. Her Kids Treat in December brought joy to more than 250 children, providing food, games, and prizes, including shoes, bags, and bottles from Puma, and books from Kingston Bookshop. Now, with the track program in focus, she aims to build a long-term partnership with the school.

With her ongoing support, Harbour View Primary’s young athletes are poised to benefit from improved resources and opportunities, ensuring a brighter future for the next generation of Jamaican sporting talent.