SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Group 7 (soon to be Group 8) students, teacher, and principal of the Methodist Agogic Centre Rev. John A. Gumbs campus toured the Philipsburg Courthouse in preparation for the production of a short film.
The film, titled ‘What if I told you!’ is primarily set in a courtroom and tells the story of how a man's crime might result from his negative experiences as a child. It covers topics such as mental health, societal expectations of men and the role of parents and caregivers. The film will be produced, in close collaboration with the students and their teacher, Rosan Hartley-Gayle, by the Department of Youth, UNICEF the Netherlands, and local film production company Peter Sagnia Films.
“Last year, during the Youth Roundtable Conference, young people expressed the need for broader and more creative opportunities to express themselves and participate in decision-making processes that affect them. Since then, the Department of Youth, with the support from UNICEF the Netherlands, has organised several collaborative events with young people to address topics that are important to them,” explains Soraya Agard-Lake, Head of the Department of Youth.
The script is written by Teacher Gayle and was performed by her students at the 2nd annual Interscholastic Spoken Word Competition organised by Men’s Mental Health Awareness. With the assistance of Mrs. Prince and Teacher Henry-Wilson, their contribution to the event won first place, and 11-year-old Venndy Isaac, who plays the lead character, received a standing ovation. “Sometimes men are called weak for showing emotion. I think the film is about how hard it is for men to address their mental health or get help. This can lead them down a bad path,” shares Venndy wisely.
During the Courthouse tour, Judge Wouters & Support Staff Member Ms. Daniels explained, step by step, local court proceedings in Sint Maarten: “Often there are misconceptions because people think our legal system is the same as in the United States; however, it is different. We don’t have a jury, for example.” During the tour, students received answers to their many questions about the court system - which will be incorporated into the final script.
After rehearsing for several weeks, the short film will be recorded at the Courthouse on August 12th & 13th. August 12th is also International Youth Day, organised by the United Nations to celebrate the contribution that young people make in education, employment, conflict resolution and social justice, to name a few. The final film will premiere at the end of September.
As part of the tour, Youth Participation Specialist for UNICEF the Netherlands, Lenworth Wilson also gave an interactive presentation on Children’s Rights. Touching on their right to express their opinion, be safe from harm, and have access to education and healthcare, among the 54 articles of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. The students’ favourite right: the right to play (article 31).
Mr Wilson: “This short film will be an opportunity to showcase meaningful youth participation. ‘Youth mental health’ was identified as a priority topic during the Youth Sounding Board consultations in 2021, the Youth Roundtable Conference in 2022, and the Sint Maarten Youth Parliament's International Youth Day Panel Discussion in 2022. We hope the film can be used to encourage more discussion on topics such as mental health, social justice, and the rights of children and young people.”
This activity is part of the Child Resilience and Protection Project (CRPP) executed by UNICEF the Netherlands in collaboration with the Government of Sint Maarten, financed by the Government of the Netherlands, through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, and administered by the World Bank.
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