BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A community and past students group called The Concerned Citizens for a Better McKnight yesterday morning (Oct. 1) made its third annual donation of 50 backpacks of personal school supplies to students of two selected grades at the Irish Town Primary School.
The presentation ceremony was held at the school’s compound in Irish Town, Basseterre during the learning institution’s usual morning assembly session.
Each backpack contained four exercise books, one dictionary, one ruler, one calculator, one packet crayons, one pencil case with two glue sticks, five pencils, two pens, one sharpener, six pencil rubbers and one eraser.
Principal of the school Jean Nisbett-Boddie expressed gratitude for the donated items.
Representative of the group Bernard Rawlins informed that the first donation was made in 2011 in collaboration with the 50th Anniversary of the Garden Hotspurs Football Club when 50 backpacks with school supplies were presented to sixth graders.
He also informed that the second donation was made last year to Grade Five students.
This time around, the backpacks were presented to the fourth graders along with the top students in the Third Grade.
Rawlins said 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.
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.
Rawlins, on behalf of the group, told Nisbett-Boddie that it “will be an ongoing project to assist with the well-being of the students and also maintenance of the premises wherever possible”.
In encouraging the students, Rawlins told them “to work hard, dream big and want more for yourselves”.
Group member Val Henry addressed the students on the essence of giving back to one’s community.
“There are people in the community who do care, and the group called is one of the corporate entities that cares, because if we do not give back to our institution it will be more difficult…and one recognises how difficult it is. So as small as the tokens may be, it was (emphasised) by the group that it is important to give back to an institution such as the Irish Town Primary School.”
He admonished the recipients to “treat the gifts with the respect that they deserve”.
The Concerned Citizens for a Better McKnight thanked the following institutions and individuals for their assistance in making the project possible: Ministry of Education; Ministry of Finance, in particular the Customs and Excise Department for granting duty free concessions; the school’s Principal; former residents of McKnight who are residing overseas; and contributors in the persons of Jamesy Herbert, Wilson Paulius, Kenrick Martin, Brian known as ‘Bigger’ and past students of the Irish Town Primary School.
