PHILIPSBURG:---– The St. Maarten Lions Club in the presence of the Honorable Minister Silveria Jacobs handed out prizes in the 9th annual Student Excellence Awards to students of the various elementary schools on St. Maarten who have not only excelled in academics but also excelled in their social growth in the school and community over their term at elementary school level. The students were in year 2, cycle 4 (6th Grade) which enabled them to be recommended their school faculty and qualify for the prizes of an all expense paid trip to 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 US.
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 expense fees paid to attend the ASA Summer Camp on St. Maarten. N.V. GEBE was the main sponsor of the St. Maarten Lions Club Student Excellence Awards as was done for the last 5 years and the CEO Mr. Kenrick Chittick was present to also give a motivational talk to the winners at the event as well.
According to St Maarten Lions Club Youth & Education Committee Chairlady Lion Carmen Lake, “It has become a tradition on the island to recognize the student of the year with the highest passing rate nevertheless the youngsters who tremendously improved in his/her social skills, behavior, and has become more community minded, was not recognized. The St. Maarten Lions Club found it important to put these youngsters in the spot light and recognize them for their leadership and social achievement at home or/ and at school, church are any other organization in the community. By putting the students in the spot light the Lions club hopes to create a sense of pride, belonging and a strong self-esteem by the youngsters”.
Honorable Minster Silveria Jacobs of the Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports congratulated all the students and their parents that 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, St. Maarten Lions Club President Davey Woods was elated to hand out the certificates to the students. He thanked the Youth and Education Committee for their hard work and dedication over his term as President and also thanked N.V. GEBE for being a good corporate business and financially assisting the St. Maarten Lions Club in fulfilling it's projects in the various communities on St. Maarten. The incoming President of the club is Lion Alison Busby and he starts his one year term as President along with a new board of directors on July 1st.
