Genevieve de Weever School wins
youth constitutional competition
PHILIPSBURG--The pupils of M. Genevieve de Weever School in Hope Estate put on a stunning performance and captured the judges’ favour when they recounted the history of the Oranje Primary School building at the second annual Nation Building competition at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort on Sunday.
The school will receive US $1,000 from Scotiabank, an overhead projector from Princess Juliana International Airport, four free cellular phones courtesy of TelCell for the presenters and a weekend stay at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort for the coordinators, along with free membership at Marcy’s Mega Gym.
Fifth graders of 12 primary schools participated in the competition.
In her opening address to a large group in attendance, Leader of Government Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams indicated that the 12 primary schools participating in the competition were “all winners already.”
And if that message was not conveyed adequately, United Telecommunication Services UTS-Chippie pledged 72 GSM Cellular phones to be given to all the participants in Sunday’s event and their coordinators. The primary school pupils “all performed excellently and their prizes were well deserved,” according to UTS Managing Director Glen Carty.
The pupils of the Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) Browlia F. Maillard Campus received rousing applause during the event, which started around 4:00pm and ended at 8:00pm, for their recollection of the history of Emilio Wilson Estate, the court battle, protests by different groups and their mixed ideas for its future development.
Their message was clear: “People who deny history will pay dearly, so preserve, preserve, preserve Emilio Wilson Estate.” The judges awarded them 442 points, landing them in third place overall.
Sister Borgia School pupils received a well deserved second place, scoring 454 points for their presentation on the Court House. The recollection of the many changes that had taken place in the 213-year-old building that was once the police station and at another time the Post Office was well received by the attentive audience.
But it was M. Genevieve de Weever School’s recollection of the history behind the Oranje Primary School building on Front Street that won the judges favour. The main building of the school was said to have been made from wood in 1739 and formerly housed Pasanggrahan Hotel.
The awards ceremony was held after the presentations, coordinated by Rolando Tobias and Commissioner Wescot-Williams. Their first task was to present awards to the seven schools that were not among the top five winners. Those schools were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John A Gumbs Campus of Methodist Agogic Centre MAC, Sister Magda Primary, St. Peters Hillside Christian, Sister Marie Laurence, Leonard Conner and Prins Willem Alexander Primary Schools.
The other two schools that made it in the top five along with M. Genevieve de Weever (first), Sister Borgia School (second) and MAC Browlia F. Maillard Campus (third) were the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) School and Learning Unlimited Primary School.
The SDA School gave a presentation Pasanggrahan Hotel, at which Dutch Queen Wilhelmina and Princess Juliana stayed many years ago. Learning Unlimited Primary School gave its presentation on the history of the Vineyard Building.
Several different gifts were awarded to the schools, including computers and money. The presenters and coordinators also received given gifts.
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