HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM HAVING TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHOD
ATLANTA, Georgia — A young Bahamian-born entrepreneur and his wife are having tremendous success with a company they launched in Atlanta four years ago, so much so that last year they expanded their business to the Kansas City, Missouri, Metro Area and have now moved into Omaha, Nebraska.
Tyrone Sawyer II and his wife Jemima co-founded Jemima’s Playhouse LLC, a new age educational company, through which they have “introduced a fun, innovative way to reach children between the ages of two and 12 years old.”
“We have seen a tremendous growth in business since we started in Atlanta in 2012,” Mr. Sawyer said. “We are now expanding into Omaha, Nebraska, our fourth state. Our goal is to continue to grow, have fun with the children, and continue to lead though implementing new, innovative teaching skills.”
“Jemima’s Playhouse is a cultural children’s program that teaches music, foreign languages, and geography through its original songs and unique characters,” according to a press release on the company’s latest presentation.
On Saturday, May 21, 2016, Jemima’s Playhouse staged a show entitled, “Senor Burro’s Big Surprise” at the North Atlanta Church, 5676 Roberts Drive, Atlanta, featuring the “favorite donkey, Senor Burro© and original songs with the assistance of 200 performing students from different schools across Atlanta.”
Among those in attendance was the Hon. Randy Rolle, Bahamas Consul General to Atlanta, who had high praise for the event.
In describing Jemima’s Playhouse’s exciting approach to teaching, the press release notes: “Just imagine a four-year-old student in Atlanta, Georgia, Kansas City Metro Area or Omaha, Nebraska singing, ‘I’m a cool donkey!’, at the top of her lungs with a blissful smile upon her face and her pony tails wagging out of control. But it is happening. And it is happening with increasing frequency at a variety of kindergarten and elementary schools across Atlanta, Kansas City and Omaha.”
The release notes that “I’m A Cool Donkey!” is the “signature song for the flagship costumed character, Senor Burro©, created by Tyrone Sawyer, a former standout track and field athlete, and his wife Jemima.”
“The choice to teach students through innovative characters has given the Sawyers an interesting platform to introduce each topic,” the release adds. “Through Jemima’s Playhouse there is Senor Burro© the walking, talking donkey from Mexico who teaches students Spanish. There is Madame Belle©, the shy cow from France who teaches the children French. BahamaMan’s© calling is to teach the children social responsibility by engaging them in a fun-filled environment that makes them want to learn. Each character has its own personality and its own story to tell. This has made Jemima’s Playhouse a good-choice option for schools that seek new and exciting ways to mold their students and to keep them actively engaged.”
The release adds: “Jemima’s Playhouse has changed the way students learn in a constantly shifting global environment. This ‘cultural appreciation method’ has caught the attention of many schools as they have invited the company to become a part of their schools’ instruction. This has also begun to get the attention of School District Supervisors and many parents who have requested this program for their children. Jemima’s Playhouse has also built close relationships in communities that it serves by offering pro bono services to underprivileged children through its Jemima’s Loving Hearts Foundation©.”
The teaching approach being used by Jemima’s Playhouse was lauded by Mr. Jay Bryan, owner of The Goddard School in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
“I have seen the positive, rich learning environment Jemima’s Playhouse has created with the students,” Mr. Bryan said. “The innovative characters and foreign languages bring joy to my school and that makes it easy for me to support Jemima and Tyrone in this venture.”
Tyrone Sawyer II is the son of Tyrone Sawyer, Senior Director of Airlift for The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, and the late Caroline Sawyer. He attended Gambier Primary School and graduated as Head Boy in 1997, then went on to St. John’s College High School in Nassau, from where he graduated in 2003 as Head Boy.
Track and field fans in The Bahamas will recall that he was on The Bahamas’ National Track and Field Team at the 2002 CARIFTA (Under 17 Silver 4 x100m relay, Under 17 Silver 4 x 400m relay); the 2003 CARIFTA Games (Under 20 Bronze 4 x 100m relay, Under 20 Bronze 4x400m relay); 2002 Jr. CAC Track Field Championships (Bronze 100m); 2003 Jr. Pan Am Championships; 2004 Jr Pan Am Championships; 2003 World Youth Championships and the 2004 World Jr. Championships.
In 2009 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Haven (New Haven Ct) and Nova Southeastern University in 2012 with a MBA.
Sawyer’s wife Jemima graduated from Barry University in Miami, Florida, in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Nova Southeastern University in 2011 with a MBA. She is currently enrolled in the Doctorate Program for Education at Nova Southeastern University.
CAPTION
Tyrone Sawyer II (left), his wife Jemima Sawyer (second from left) are pictured with the Hon, Randy Rolle (second from right), Bahamas Consul General to Atlanta. At right is Tyrone Sawyer Sr., Senior Director of Airlift for The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
CAPTION
Tyrone Sawyer (left) and Jemima (right) are pictured with Mr. Jay Byran, owner of The Goddard School in Sandy Springs, Georgia, two guests and Senor Burro.