ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, October 5th, 2011  – The Ministry of Education and Culture recognised 235 ‘Top Achievers’ for the 2010 – 2011 school year at a ceremony this week as an accolade to the students scholastic achievement.

The students recognised were the ‘Top Students’ for the advent, lent and trinity terms at the various primary schools across the Territory. Of that number, 57 students received additional recognition for maintaining the top position for four consecutive years (2007 – 2010).

Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Andrew A. Fahie congratulated the students for their pursuit of excellence. The Minister in his message stressed the importance of being prepared and emphasised that the future belongs to the prepared.

“The key to get ahead, students, is preparation. The future is not for anyone with excuses. Once you prepare you can overcome any hurdle. Keep moving from good to great. I am proud of you. Your teachers and principals are proud of you.

The Territory is proud of you. Continue to strive to fulfil your purpose for existing,” the Minister said.
Providing words of motivation the Minister added, “At times your best might not land you in the top three, but once you have truly prepared and done your best, you can stand proud and confident and say that I am not the tail, but I am the head.”

The Minister also congratulated the parents, principals and teachers for the roles they played in educating the studentsMs. Kelliann Freeman, former student of the Francis Lettsome Primary School was the recipient of the Honourable Andrew Fahie’s Trophy for the Top Primary Student Territory-wide.

Ms. Freeman in her remarks thanked her parents Mr. Dillard Freeman and Ms. Teresia Turnbull and the principal, faculty and staff of the Francis Lettsome Primary School including the school’s sponsor Harneys for their support, and for laying the foundation for her success.

She gave special tribute to the Education Minister for the top students’ initiative.
“When Honourable Andrew Fahie came up with this idea to reward students for their high achievements I thought it was a good initiative. Now after three years of being one of the students who benefitted from these trips, I can clearly see that this was not just a good idea, but a great one.

”The top achiever added, “We may not have realised it then, but those trips have made us competitive, and being high achievers, we all wanted to win. We were challenged by our parents to do our best. We were challenged by our teachers to achieve excellence, but mostly, our peers challenged us.”

She continued, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Minister of Education and Culture Hon. Andrew Fahie for his hard work in keeping the education in the British Virgin Islands exciting, by motivating us through friendly competition.”

The Top Achievers Award ceremony was held at the New Testament Church of God International Worship Centre under the theme, “Moving from Good to Great: Still I Rise.” It featured performances by the Elmore Stoutt Drama Society, the performance of the song entitled, “EDUCATION” by Mr. Craig Brown and the combined choir from the Virgin Gorda schools, remarks from Ms. British Virgin Islands Ms. Abigail Hyndman and a response in song by the top achievers, ‘If You’re Out There’ by John Legend.

The ceremony was chaired by Dr. Marcia Potter, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The Top Achievers Awards Ceremony is an initiative implemented by the Minister of Education and Culture, the Honourable Andrew Fahie which seeks to publicly recognise the academic excellence of the Territory’s primary school students.

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