“Work hard and try your best” was just one of the many uplifting and positive comments Junior Fleming made to more than 50 children at the Valley Primary School on Tuesday, October 2.

The children anxiously await their gift

Junior is one of Anguilla’s best known personalities not only to belongers and citizens, but to the many tourists as well. It is his relationship with the tourists that has been the catalyst for him being able to make visits to all the primary schools providing gifts and prizes in the form of school supplies.

As Junior walked into the classroom with his red bag full of pencils, pens, stickers, writing utensil bags, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers and coloured pencils he likened himself to Santa Claus while the children’s eyes got really big and their voices become loud with shouts of joy. I accompanied him to two separate classrooms where he spent almost 20 minutes rewarding the students for positive behaviour and good grades.

Junior speaks to the children

During the distribution of the gifts and prizes, Junior would constantly speak to the children about right and wrong practices. He also stressed the importance of sharing with peers. He professed trust in all the children to be truthful with him in answering his questions, an aspect I find to be paramount because if you want to really teach a child, the child must feel trusted.

Junior first began his relationship with the children by providing free glass bottom boat tours. During the tours he would teach the children about the environment, marine life and how to sail. The many tourists that come to Shoal Bay took notice of what he was doing and pledged their assistance by providing supplies for the school children.

When asked about his motivation for the school visits he said, “I realized that the children needed encouragement and I am very interested in helping them. This is worth every minute of my time and I enjoy doing it.” He remains firm in that he will make his glass bottom boat available to all the primary schools at any time whether it is during the high or low season. All they need to do is have a teacher or the principal call him to set up an appointment. Junior also hopes to get support from his own people here as there is a need for citizens of Anguilla to get involved with the school children in helping them achieve and praising them when deserved.

I find Junior Fleming to be an upstanding citizen and a man of action and integrity. I encourage everyone to help him with his community endeavours and wish him much success in his plight to help ensure Anguilla’s future.

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