The Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, like all other primary schools in Anguilla, observed Commonwealth Day on Monday, March 12, with various sporting activities.
As part of its social studies programme, the following day, Tuesday, the Adrian T. Hazell School continued its Commonwealth Day celebration on the theme of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Member of the Social Studies Committee, Joanne Snagg, explained what Tuesday’s programme was about:
“We continued by centering our Commonwealth Day celebration on the theme of Her Majesty’s 60th year on the Throne, or her Diamond Jubilee,” she explained. “We decided that instead of doing the regular presentation in the hall, where children dance or represent a specific Commonwealth country, we should look at the Queen’s reign, her family and the celebrations for this year, including the royal visits to various parts of the Commonwealth. We displayed the 54 member countries of the Commonwealth and we decided to have a hat show.”
Scores of children paraded around the school’s premises in colourful hats made at home, some of them even resembling designs worn by the Queen. “It was virtually a homework assignment and the parents went all out to assist the children,” Ms. Snagg said. “I was stunned by the level of creativity. After judging who female and male students had the best hats, each class will sit down and have a tea party, just like the English do it.”
Meanwhile, members of a performing group at the just-ended Moonsplash Festival were invited to the school to entertain the students just before the hat show. The performers were Anguilla’s Omari Banks, Junior Jazz of the Ikronic Group, Bay-C of the TOK Group (both from Jamaica); and Malaika, who was born in Canada, has roots in Jamaica and lives in Australia.
