The winners of St. Maarten Lions Club Student Excellence Awards pose with their certificates along with Minister Silveria Jacobs, GEBE CEO Kenrick Chittick, St. Maarten Lions Club President Lion Davey Woods and some of the members of the St. Maarten Lions
SUCKER GARDEN–The St. Maarten Lions Club, in the presence of Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Silveria Jacobs, handed out prizes in the ninth annual Student Excellence Awards to pupils of the various elementary schools in St. Maarten who have not only excelled in academics, but also in their social growth in the school and community over their term at elementary school level.
The pupils were in year two, cycle four (sixth grade), which enabled them to be recommended by their school faculties and qualify for the prizes of all-expense-paid attendance in a summer camp. Two winners will attend a local camp and two will be chaperoned by a St. Maarten Lions Club member to a camp in the United States.
The winners of a trip to the Kanakuk Summer Camp in Branson, Missouri, were Shamida George and Alesandro Jones, while Rheanne Arrindell and Skayla Davis won all fees paid to attend the After School Activities Summer Camp in St. Maarten.
Utilities company N.V. GEBE was the main sponsor of the St. Maarten Lions Club Student Excellence Awards as it has been for the past five years. GEBE’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenrick Chittick was present to give a motivational speech to the winners at the event.
According to St. Maarten Lions Club Youth and Education Committee Chairwoman Lion Carmen Lake, “It has become a tradition on the island to recognise the student of the year with the highest passing rate. Nevertheless, the youngsters who tremendously improved in his/her social skills, behaviour and has become more community-minded were not recognised.
“The St. Maarten Lions Club found it important to put these youngsters in the spotlight and recognise them for their leadership and social achievement at home and/or at school, church and any other organisation in the community. By putting the students in the spotlight the Lions Club hopes to create a sense of pride, belonging and a strong self-esteem in the youngsters.”
Minister Jacobs congratulated all pupils and their parents who were present, and urged the youngsters to not only focus on their studies in the coming years, but to also be aware of the temptations of young children using drugs, alcohol and becoming sexually promiscuous.
As the Student Excellence Awards was the last project in his term as club president, Woods was elated to hand out the certificates to the pupils. He thanked the Youth and Education Committee for their hard work and dedication over his term as president and also thanked GEBE for being a good corporate business and financially assisting the St. Maarten Lions Club in fulfilling its projects in the various communities in St. Maarten.
The Club’s Incoming President is Lion Alison Busby. He starts his one-year term as president along with a new board of directors on July 1.
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