BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AT a simple but very significant ceremony, 15 students of the Beach Allen, Tucker Clarke and Irish Town Primary Schools were the beneficiaries of this year’s Edrice Lewis Scholarship Programme.
The event, which took place yesterday (Aug. 6) at the East Basseterre Community Centre, saw Edrice Lewis-Viechweg, for the 10th successive year, handing over a number of school supplies to the students who were selected by their respective schools and, in some cases, the Welfare Department based on their needs and academic achievements.
Addressing the gathering, Lewis-Viechweg spoke briefly on the annual event and introduced another initiative that she started with her 136-member family.
She said that the new initiative, the Joseph-Francis-Ferdinand Family Foundation, was founded in February of this year and is geared towards aiding residents of Conaree by supplying some of their basic needs.
“Sometimes people just have a hard time and they need help,” she said.
The Connecticut resident and English teacher at the Norwalk Community College, explained that her family originated from Conaree, hence her interest in assisting residents of that community.
She declared that the first assistance from the Foundation would be in the form of school supplies to five school-age children living in Conaree.
Following the presentation of school supplies to the children, in which Lewis-Viechweg was assisted by Foundation member Sandra Maynard, she held a brief discussion with the young recipients.
One of the questions asked during the discussion was “who is the first person you go to when you have a problem”? The children, as in one voice, said their parents.
Lewis-Viechweg also spoke to the children on the subject of bullying and charged them to immediately inform their parents or an elder should they be bullied.
“If you are ever bullied tell your parents or an adult so that it can be stopped, because that leads many children to commit suicide.”
In closing, the English teacher said to the students: “I wanted to give you something you can use every day for school. You are never dressed for school unless you have your books. I implore you to go to school prepared and respect and listen to your teachers.”
Speaking to this media house, Lewis-Viechweg indicated that she loves to help people and that love is the main reason for establishing the second initiative, the Joseph-Francis-Ferdinand Family Foundation.
“I want to help more people and I am looking forward to next year,” Lewis-Viechweg declared.
