Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5864/-1/136/
|
Optimist Club Awards Participants Of First Positive Posters Competition
|
The Optimist Club of Anguilla, in keeping with its motto ‘Friend of Youth’ and ‘Bringing out the best in Children’, organized a Positive Poster Competition to give some of our youth the opportunity to communicate their views on our community. The students were asked to express their opinions artistically on the themes ‘drugs’, ‘friendship’, ‘community’, ‘family’ and ‘violence’. Students from the Pupil Referral Unit (P.R.U.) and the Workshop Initiative for Support in Education (W.I.S.E.) were specifically targeted for this project and the response was overwhelming. There were a total of 30 posters submitted. The competition took place during the second term of school and was judged by artists Optimist Collette Jones, Mr Adam Azaire and Ms Lynn Bernbaum during the Easter Break.
|
|
Some of the students who participated in the competition
|
First place was awarded to Giovanni Hughes (P.R.U.), second place to Kendelle Lestrade (P.R.U.), third place to Ericiano Carter (W.I.S.E) while fourth and fifth places went to Khamai Isles (P.R.U.).
Four posters were also identified as being worthy of honourable mention. These posters were created by Ryan Gordon, Kalsar Thomas, Asheal Richardson (all from W.I.S.E) and another poster done by Giovanni Hughes (P.R.U.).
|
|
Some of the entries in the competition
|
On 22nd April 2008 there was a prize giving ceremony at the Edison L. Hughes Public Library for the winners and all participants of the Positive Poster Competition. First to fifth place received cash prizes of EC$100, EC$80, EC$70, EC$60 and EC$50 respectively from an Anguillian businessman who wished to remain anonymous. Cable & Wireless, a conscientious corporate citizen supplied the winners with school bags and the other participants with lunch bags and also little gifts such as bandanas, yoyos, skipping ropes and football CDs in the gift packages. Gifts of pencils, pens and mini staple machines were provided by the Community Policing arm of the Royal Anguilla Police Service and exercise books by the HIV/AIDS Awareness Promotion Unit.
In attendance were Mrs. Ingrid Lake (A.L.H.C.S Principal), Mrs. Bernice Fahie Richardson (acting Principal P.R.U), Ms. Rado Gumbs (Literacy Coordinator W.I.S.E), Mrs. Jackie Connor (Education Officer Muliti-Professional Support Services), Erica Richardson (Education Welfare Officer), Jerome Roberts (President Optimist Club), Giesel Francis, Marketing Manager of Cable & Wireless, Optimist Members and students from W.I.S.E and P.R.U.
Mrs. Fahie Richardson expressed her gratitude to the Optimist Club for coming up with the Positive Poster Competition as it gave teachers and students the opportunity to work together. To the students she expressed the view that the experience should have taught them that when they work together they can achieve great things.
Ms. Rado Gumbs said, “When the students at P.R.U learnt about the competition, they picked it up and ran with it.”
Mrs. Lake in a moving speech to the students said she was pleased to see that they participated in the competition which was a good challenge for them as we know that they have talents and gifts. She reminded them that people love and care for them.
President of the Optimist Club Jerome Roberts thanked the Principal, Teachers and persons in the Education Department for encouraging and assisting the students in participating in the competition. He reminded all that the Optimist Club is here to assist with the youth and therefore they should feel free to call upon the Club when the opportunity presents itself.
The Optimist Club of Anguilla encourages one and all to visit the lobby area in Edison Hughes Library and view the posters of the Positive Poster Competition. Remember we need to support, encourage and listen to the youth if we expect them to become productive citizens in our community.