The Third Annual Primary Schools Award Ceremony at the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium on Thursday, November 19, saw a large number of students receiving presentations for outstanding performance in a number of subject areas as well as sports. The overall sponsor was the Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC).
The awardees, some of whom are now students at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, were from the six Government Primary Schools and the privately run Central Christian School and the Teacher Gloria Omolulu Institute.

Students from the Adrian T. Hazel School in performance

The subject areas for which they received awards were Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science all in grades 3, 5 and 6. There were also sports and music awards; the new Patricia J. Adams Literary Award and the ANGLEC Achievement Award.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett, said that a great deal of attention was being focused everywhere on the negative behaviour of a minority of youngpeople instead of on the majority who were doing good everyday and that this was a cause for concern.

Central School students under the direction of the Principal

She urged all to get off that band wagon and to start making a difference, saying that one way of doing so was to encourage positive behaviour and right attitudes among young people and rewarding those who strive to be the best they could. She applauded the Department of Education for being a trailblazer in rewarding students and to enable them to get positive public attention by setting high standards to which they must aim. She commended the students for their hard work and the hope they gave others that they too could succeed and be awarded. Mrs. Petty-Barrett also congratulated the parents and teachers for ensuring that the students remained focus and not settle for mediocrity.

“I cannot end without thanking our corporate sponsor, the Anguilla Electricity Company Ltd. ANGLEC is an extraordinary corporate citizen and an exemplary partner in education. We greatly appreciate the contribution you have made in ensuring that this ceremony became a reality,” she said, expressing the hope that the company would contribute even more given the increasing number of outstanding students.

The Patsy A. Adams Award. Winners flanked by Mrs. Adams and son Dwayne

ANGLEC’s Human Resources Officer, Erimel Franklin, spoke on the theme of the ceremony: “The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams.” She told the students they should dream to succeed because having a dream was the cornerstone of any successful venture. “I take this opportunity to congratulate those who have already had dreams and to encourage those who are not sure as yet to find a dream and make sure to fulfill that dream,” she said. She called on the students to do their home work, pay attention in the classroom and to challenge themselves to learn well and fulfill their dreams.

Vivien A. Vanterpool School students performing with Kellver Fleming

Acting Education Officer, Sandra Fahie, said that in Anguilla, like elsewhere at schools and other institutions of learning, it was common practice to use positive enforcement and incentives as strategies to modify and bring about improvement in performance and behaviour of students. She stated that the Primary Schools Awards Ceremony, which began in 2007 in Anguilla, was one such strategy. In 2008 there were 30 awardees who received 48 awards and this year, (2009), there were 90 awardees who got 152 awards.

Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett

“With this increase in awardees, we can conclude that the National Primary Schools Award Ceremony is a positive and effective re-enforcer - a celebration of our students’ success in our test of standards,” she noted. “Our students have recognised that hard work pays off.”
Ms. Fahie thanked ANGLEC for its continued sponsorship. She also acknowledged two special awards, the ANGLEC Achievement Award and the Patricia J. Adams Literary Award for outstanding performance in composition writing.

Speaker, Kasem Thompson

The feature address was delivered by Kasem Thompson, a former honour student of the Central Christian School, who was the 2008 Most Outstanding Grade 6 student in the Test of Standards.
The Form 1 student at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School joined in calling on the students to have a dream which he said required a sense of motivation and determination. “In fulfilling your dreams you are making your parents, teachers and others who love you proud,” the 13-year-old exhorted his young schoolmates. “Your parents sacrifice for you daily. Make them proud. Let this motivate you to excellence.

The ANGLEC Award. Winning students flanked by Ms. Emmanuel and David Gumbs of ANGLEC

When choosing your goals, don’t try at simple and half-dead goals that just anyone can achieve. You should strive for goals which would make you successful and above the rest…Strive to break the record and make your dreams turn into something worthwhile and, as someone said, the stars are the limit.”
The ceremony included various performances in song, poetry, dance and pantomimes by students from all of the public and private primary schools which added much attraction and enjoyment to the event.

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