BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - OPERATION FUTURE continued its initiative of having ‘local celebrities’ visit high schools in an effort to influence and change the mentality and attitude of high school students. Their latest visit was to the Cayon High School last Friday (Oct. 24).
Delivering messages to the students were to be Smiley, DJ Rucas, DJ Yardie and Dr. Terrance Drew but the last two were unable to make an appearance.
The lead vocalist of the Grand Masters Band - Smiley – a former student of the school – told the students that he feels disappointed whenever he hears negative news about the school.
“They are some serious things that are happening at the Cayon High School. I used to attend this school. I know everything about Cayon and Cayon High School. I know about the teachers some of the teachers here even taught me.
“The kind of activities, incidents and talk on the road about Cayon High School make me feel bad because I was once the Cayon High School calypso king, went into Basseterre performed for Cayon High School and bang up them boys again so talent lives here in Cayon.”
Smiley urged the students to take more pride in their school and made reference to a video that saw two Cayon High School students fighting over a pre-schooler.
“This is what I want from you guys now... I took time from my busy schedule to speak to you guys. There is a video with some girls fighting and a child got dropped in the road. That can’t be nice, that’s just not nice.
“You have to love the school and when we say love your school by taking cares of the building and looking out for your classmate and schoolmate. When you see somebody going the wrong way, you let them know that you can’t be doing this because you are going to bring down the school and give us a bad name and not me but us.”
Radio personality DJ Rucas, who is also a vocalist in the Grand Masters Band, encouraged the students to “find themselves” and then they would not have any time for crime.
“I want to take a different approach than Smiley took and tell you about myself and why you should not turn to crime. For those of you who don’t know I am not even 25 as yet.
“I started radio in second form at 14-years-old and I have been there ever since. I joined the Grand Masters in 2007… and what I want to tell you is that you need to find yourself now. Once you find yourself now you won’t find the time for crime and violence.”
He urged the students to cease the fighting amongst themselves and also expressed his disappointment about the video that is being circulated.
“Make sure you take care of each other because who is next to you might be the person you really need help from. I don’t want you all to fight against each other because that will bring disunity and we don’t want that at all. We have some beautiful people here at Cayon High and you all look like you are going to become something in the future and I am willing to teach anybody willing to take radio serious.
“Crime is not the way to go I saw the same video and that is just crazy. We don’t want to see anymore of that coming from Cayon High. What I want you all to do is turn to each other and say I love you, love you, love you, love you.”
Rucas shared a personal motto of his with the students and encouraged them to repeat it whenever they are faced with difficult challenges.
“I have my own motto that I use …Crime cannot get my time because my future is on my mind. If you feel like you about to do something bad just keep repeating that and that will not be an option and keep repeating it until understand what it is saying.”
Operation Future’s founder and President Constable Lauston Percival also pleaded with the student to adhere to the messages that were delivered and promised the students that he would return with some different personalities in the very near future.
