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Trinidad, W.I.
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Thursday June 18, 2009 will long be
remembered in the lives of seventeen of the twenty students of the
Standard Five Class of the Princes Town Methodist School in Southern
Trinidad. The occasion was the Graduation Service and Award Giving
Ceremony. The theme was “Keep The Dream Alive.”
The Dream was kept alive through the
inspiration of the feature speaker, Mrs. Siobban Rodriguez-George, a
Guidance Officer from the Students’ Support Services Division of
Trinidad & Tobago’s
Ministry of Education. Greetings were brought by school
supervisor Mr. Maharaj from the Ministry of Education, the Secretary of
the Methodist School Board – Ms. Pearl Mu lrain, the PTA President Ms.
St. Louis and the resident Guidance Counselor – Hollis Clifton.
What made the day special, however, was
the performance of the graduating class which played the steelpan while
singing their hearts out to their parents and other guests. The
sixteen-piece “Graduates Orchestra” had just a few weeks to
devote to practice sessions since they were too caught up with preparing for the SEA
(Secondary Examination Assessment) and for their transition to the
secondary level education cycle.
Other students at the school however,
were beneficiaries of the “Pan In The Classroom” project earlier in the
term/semester when pan tutor Noel Skair was present at the institution,
conducting classes twice per week as offered by the Ministry of
Education in Trinidad & Tobago.
School Principal Carla Mc Lean who delivered
the Principal’s Report at the ceremony, had been delighted when the Pan in
The Classroom project was offered
to her school - and went full speed to meet the requirements. When
tutor Noel Skair arrived she readily welcomed him with open arms and
requested that he work with the Standard Five Class after the SEA to
teach them the piece entitled “My Tribute“ and have them sing along. Mr. Skair
happily obliged and went full speed ahead.
The Class of 2009 valedictorian was Rasheed Khan while the Expression of Gratitude was
delivered by Karina Jones and Renee Lewis on behalf of the graduating class.
A ballroom dance choreographed by tutor Arlene Taylor was performed by
students as part of the entertainment segment. The benediction was done
by Reverend Obid Quanza, and chairperson of the entire affair was class teacher Ms.
Esther Stout.
by Hollis Clifton
Pan Diaspora Visionary
pandiaspora@gmail.com
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