At a ceremony held at the ECCB Agency Office at the Fairplay Commercial Complex on Tuesday March 4, monetary prizes were given to the winning schools of the Primary Schools Coin Drive. The ceremony was chaired by Marilyn Bartlett-Richardson and she gave welcoming remarks, “good afternoon all and welcome to the prize giving ceremony for the ECCB Primary Schools Coin Contest.

Winners of the coin drive with representatives of the banks

We especially welcome the Principals of the winning schools, Mrs. Tracelyn Hamilton of the Island Harbour Primary School, winner in Category 1 (school with 119 or less students) and Mrs. Jasmine Thomas of Stoney Ground Primary School, winner in Category 2 (school in excess of 120 students). I also Welcome the Education Officer, Primary and Pre-primary Veda Harrigan, Teacher Marilyn Richardson, former Principal of Stoney Ground Primary School, members of the print media and representatives of the commercial banks who were assigned to the winning schools.”
Mrs. Bartlett-Richardson went on to explain that in October 2007 the ECCB launched a Coin Fund-Raiser Drive among Primary Schools in each area of the island as part of its annual Financial Month list of activities. The contest, dubbed “Your Small Coins Add up To Big Dollars,” was an initiative which provided the platform to demonstrate that big savings can be achieved from small coins. The additional benefit was that it allowed students to engage in raising funds for a worthwhile cause identified by the school. Schools on the island were assigned to the various commercial banks as follows: Valley Primary School (Caribbean Commercial Bank); Stoney Ground Primary School (National Bank of Anguilla Ltd); Island Harbour, Morris Vanterpool and Alwyn Allison Primary Schools (FirstCaribbean Int’l Bank Ltd); Road Primary School (Scotiabank Anguilla Ltd).

The funds raised would be used for the purchase of some identified needed items. The ECCB agreed to award the winning schools with a monetary prize equivalent to the funds raised. To this end, Mrs. Bartlett-Richardson presented to Island Harbour Primary School ,winner in Category 1, with a total of EC$800.00 and Stoney Ground Primary Schools, winner in Category 2, with EC$1,554.38. The six government primary schools on the island participated in the Drive and raised a total of EC$4,641.38. IHPS intends to use their money for the construction of a lunch area and SGPS plans to purchase a PA system. Mrs. Marisa Gums of NBA was on hand and mentioned that the bank has also agreed to match half of the money raised by SGPS to provide additional help for the purchase of their PA system.

All of the principals and teachers thanked the banks and ECCB for their support and were proud to take part in this drive as the children benefited greatly.

-Jason Allen

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