BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TWENTY second grade students of the Irish Town Primary School were presented with backpacks fully stocked with school supplies, compliments the Concerned Citizens for a Better McKnight.
The presentation forms part of an annual event that the Concerned Citizens for a Better McKnight hosts in an effort to give back to the community that the members grew up in. This is the group’s eighth year of presenting school supplies to the Irish Town Primary School, the first being in 2011.
Each backpack was filled with five exercise books, three pencils, two pens, one sharpener, one ruler, one pencil case, one sanitizer, one scissors, one box of crayons, one large eraser, three pencil tops erasers, two glue sticks, one dictionary and one calculator.
The presentation was made by Sylvia Smith, a former teacher of 41 years who started teaching at the Irish Town Primary School in 1965, at which time the school was located at the bottom of what is known as the “big steps” in McKnight.
At the presentation, the group’s representative, Bernard Rawlins urged the students to always work hard and reach for the stars.
“I would like to encourage you, the students, to continue to work hard in school. Do your very best and reach higher for a better future. Remember knowledge is power. Strive for excellence!” he said.
The group thanks the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and former resident of McKnight George Adams for assisting in making the donation to the students possible.
Just months ago at the school’s graduation ceremony, the Concerned Citizens for a Better McKnight presented a $700 gift certificate to the student who won the Triple A Award – the most outstanding student in Academics, Athletics and Attitude -to assist with the purchase of uniforms and books for secondary school.
In a previous interview, Rawlins told SKNVibes that the group comprises former residents of McKnight who now reside overseas and includes Seymour ‘Tally’ Davis, Lloyd Hendricks and Hildred Rawlins, who are all past students of the Irish Town Primary School.
The group also comprises residents still living on island including Wilson Paulious, Ken Martin, Cheralyn Dolphin and Rawlins himself.
He said the group feels that the contribution to the students would greatly assist parents with providing school supplies for their children, and it is their way of giving back to the institution that is responsible for laying their educational foundation.
The annual donation remains an ongoing effort.
