Friends of Region 6 Recognise Outstanding Students, Educators from St. Catherine

Ten outstanding Primary Exit Profile (PEP) students from of St. Catherine have been awarded bursaries valued at $20,000 each by the Friends of Region 6.

The presentation was made at the organisation’s annual awards ceremony held on Saturday (December 20), at the Old Harbour High School in the parish.

Under the theme ‘Begin With the End in Mind: Maintain Your Focus’, the function was held to celebrate the achievements of students, teachers and other personnel at educational institutions.

Principal of the Greater Portmore High School, Ricardo Ross, received the Principal of the Year Award, while the Teacher of the Year Award went to educator at Enid Bennett High School, Camile Brown.

Damion Carradice from Old Harbour High School received the Support Staff of the Year Award; the Administrative Staff of the Year went to Senior Secretary at Innswood High School, Janiel Gordon; and School Work Experience Teacher at Enid Bennett High, Nickesha Lindo, received the Helping Hands Staff of the Year Award.

Community Relations Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Kereen Reid-Clarke, got the Region 6 Employee of the Year Award.

Speaking on behalf of the PEP awardees, student at the Independence City Primary School, Daniel Harrison, lauded the Friends of Region 6 for their “great support and constant help.”

She said that the students are truly grateful for the commitment, patience, and dedication demonstrated by “all of our teachers and staff, who ensure that we develop not only in academic ability, but also in character, confidence, and responsibility.”

Principal of the Year, Ricardo Ross, said that the awards serve as encouragement for the recipients to “keep pushing boundaries, remain on track, remain focused, and to continue striving for impacts beyond ourselves”.

“To the organisers and the sponsors, thank you for creating this platform that celebrates dedication… excellence,” he said.

Mr. Ross thanked the mentors “who have guided us, families who supported us, colleagues who celebrated and collaborated with us and communities that believed in us. This recognition is as much theirs as ours. Awards such as these remind us that success is not a destination”.

“We, therefore, pledge to use this recognition as motivation to inspire others,” he added.

Keynote speaker at the event and two-time Press Association of the Jamaica (PAJ) Journalist of the Year, Giovanni Dennis, commanded the students for their achievement and the parents and guardians who support them.

“Without your support… it is so much more difficult for them to do well. So, it is very important to understand that your support is essential,” he said.

Chairman of the Friends of Region 6, Anne Geddes-Spence, in her remarks, noted that the awards are geared towards showcasing excellence and showing appreciation for the hard work of students, school leaders and workers within the schools.

“When you receive this award, it means that whatever you do, you must aim for excellence. You can never stop; you must continue to grow, so it is not a final destination, it is an onward trajectory movement for excellence,” she said.

Mrs. Geddes-Spence commended the sponsors for their contribution, noting that “they are building productivity within our youth; they are encouraging greatness; they are encouraging our teachers and our staff members to continue to work hard to build their country and to build the education system at large.”

Friends of Region 6 supports educational institutions in St. Catherine and hosts an annual awards ceremony to celebrate and recognise the achievements of students, teachers and other personnel at educational institutions.