South Florida Autism Charter School students visit Jamaica for confidence-building trip

A South Florida charter school serving children with autism has taken a group to Jamaica for a four-day overseas visit meant to help students gain confidence, practise independence and enjoy the type of travel experience many children without autism often get.

The party, made up of 20 students and parents along with staff from South Florida Autism Charter School, arrived in Jamaica on Friday. During the visit they are being accommodated at Iberostar Resort and are scheduled to enjoy several local attractions and amenities, including Dunn’s River Falls.

Dr Tamara Moodie, founder of South Florida Autism Charter School, said the programme was created so students with autism could take part in experiences similar to those available to their neurotypical schoolmates.

Moodie told Observer Online that travel can be difficult for families raising children with autism because of sensory, behavioural and practical challenges. She said those barriers mean many students rarely get to travel, while their parents also have limited chances to relax with their children away from their usual surroundings.

Moodie, who was born in Jamaica, said the destination was selected deliberately. Several students, she said, had not previously left the United States, and for some the journey marked their first flight.

She said Jamaica offered a practical choice because of its proximity to South Florida, while still giving the children the excitement and educational value of visiting another country and learning about another culture.

Moodie also said her own connection to Jamaica influenced the decision. As someone who returns to the island often with her family, she said she has consistently found Jamaicans to be warm, patient, welcoming and accommodating.

She added that Jamaica’s tourism sector is recognised for helping visitors feel respected and comfortable, and she believed the students and their families would be treated with the same care and acceptance.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, Moodie was photographed with participants in the school’s Jamaica trip at Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, St Ann. Students, parents and staff from the school also posed for a group photograph in Jamaica that day.

The trip had first been organised months earlier but was delayed because of Hurricane Melissa. The postponment reduced the travelling party to a much smaller group than originally expected, with the first plan involving nearly three times as many participants.

Moodie said she was pleased the visit finally happened. For the families, she said, the journey was not simply a holiday, but a chance to open doors, strengthen self-belief, support independence and show parents that their children can manage experiences some people might consider beyond their reach.

She said the trip also allows families to create memories together while giving students a chance to enter a new setting, interact with new people and see life outside their normal routines.