Students were given kite-making tips by a surprising group of teachers last week. Prisoners at Westgate Correctional Facility toured schools as members of Kites-R-Us, a group hoping to keep the Island's Good Friday tradition alive. Inmates Michael Eberly, Teiko Furbert, Garry Sully Wellman and Michael Pitcher founded the group in 2005. Mr. Wellman has since been released, but he is still very much involved in the project.

Other members include Marvin Lambe, Ronald Beach, Jeremy Burrows, Kawesi Wilson, Kirk Mundy, Sheldon Franks, Allen Daniels and Jania Thompson. They came up with the idea to make and sell kites as a way of raising funds for charity.

Previous recipients include the Prison Fellowship, PRIDE and the Committee of 25 for Handicapped Children. This year they will be doing something special for a member of the Westgate Correctional Facility family. They also produced a free, step-by-step guide for school children and families, 'How to make a kite?' and donated kites to Lefroy House, Packwood Home, Warwick Rest Home, Mathilda Smith Williams House and Hope Homes.