The Alwyn A.RichardsonPrimary Schoolat West End, built over a long period, with large sums of public and private sector funding, has clearly emerged as an excellent place of learning in Anguilla.
With only 150 students (85 boys and 65 girls), the school has a teaching staff of 12 and 7 classes from kindergarten to grade 6. It is the only air-conditioned school in Anguilla, and the vastness of the floor space provides much potential for further growth in the future. It has just undergone a slight amendment to its name from the Alwyn Allison to theAlwynA.RichardsonPrimary School.
Although the school was functioning for some time now, the completed project was only handed over at a ceremony held on Monday, this week, May 7. There are still a few small areas of work for attention; but special recognition for the current high level of completion was paid to business couple Bob and Melinda Blanchard. They provided US$101, 000 in supplies to substantially complete and equip the school.
Deputy Principal, Mrs. Tricia Richardson, who chaired the ceremony, told the large gathering: “On February 5, 2010, we celebrated the official handing over of the keys to the building. However, the work was not fully completed. But today, May 7, we are here to celebrate he full completion and enhancement of the school’s facilities. Our partners in the community, and our friends, the Blanchards of Anguilla Children’s Fund, made this project possible.”
President of the Parent Teachers Association, Anna Kennedy, described the ceremony as a landmark, event in the school’s history. “We celebrate the contributions of our partners in education,” she stated. “I would like to encourage all our partners, whether corporate or business, individuals or groups, to seek ways to make a difference in the life of this school and also to the future of the island. We should strive to make it our purpose to promote student successes through community involvement…
“We are here to recognise the contributions made to the school by Bob and Melinda Blanchard. They are internationally-acclaimed restaurateurs; and in 2006 founded Blanchards Anguilla Children’s Fund whose mission is to inspire the youth of Anguilla to realise their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. We thank them for their continuing support of the school, as they have been partners of ours for a long time now, and especially for these recent contributions.
“We hope that the students will benefit from these new additions to the school which create for them more opportunities for meaningful engaged learning. This will empower the students to stay in school and achieve in life.”
Mrs. Ornette Edwards-Gumbs said: “As Principal of theAlwynA.RichardsonPrimary School, it is my task to publicly thank Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard for initiating and financing a community project with assistance from the Anguilla Children’s Fund…”
She listed the couple’s donations as follows: two boxes of reading books for the school’s library; a fully-furnished computer lab with 19 brand new computers; a printer, seven laptops; seven projectors; a furnished classroom with 25 desks and chairs; teachers’ desks and chairs; lounge chairs; two ‘white boards’; two bulletin boards; a spacious and well-equipped kitchen with storage space; two stoves; two sinks; a refrigerator; a microwave and a portable stage for the auditorium. The Blanchards also tiled various portions of the school building.
“Bob and Melinda, words cannot convey our gratitude for your tremendous contributions,” Mr. Edwards-Gumbs went on. “The key to our progress and success rests in people like you and other community partners who embody the spirit of giving. Thank you so much for assisting to improve, enhance and upgrade the physical structure, as well as the teaching and learning facilities, at Alwyn A. Richardson Primary School. Your massive, generous hearts, as well as your interest and involvement in the school, were positive and timely. On behalf of the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents, students and the entireWest Endcommunity, we all join to say thank you.”
The Principal urged the students to show appreciation for the gifts by doing their best to improve their information and technology skills, as well as their culinary skills.
Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Rhonda Connor, thanked the Blanchards for their generosity. She also recognised the contributions of the West Endcommunity, and past and present teachers and principals who all worked towards the completion of the school. She encouraged the students to take care of the school and its equipment.
Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard said they had embarked on thinking of ways to be part of the community rather than just coming to Anguilla to reside and earn a living. One effort was the current Blanchards Anguilla Children’s Fund, a non-profit organisation both in Anguilla and theUnited States. Mrs. Blanchard said it was a challenge to raise money for the Fund but there were some very good successes. One was a raffle of two guitars donated by Jimmy Buffet, who held a concert on Anguilla. The raffle fetched over US$10,000 for each instrument. The rest of the money for the Fund came mostly from patrons of Blanchards Restaurant.
Mr. Blanchard was particularly grateful to his staff. “Without them, there would be no Blanchards and no Children’s Fund,” he said, mentioning a number of fund-raising activities in which they were involved. “I think our staff deserves as much credit as we do,” he added.
Meanwhile, the West End Committee, involved in fund-raising for the school, led by Valentin Davis, presented a symbolic cheque for US $75,934.63 to the Principal of the School. The money was donated by persons, hotels and other businesses in the West Endcommunity as well as raised from bingo and other events.
The ceremony climaxed with the unveiling of the name of the school by Minister of Social Development, Edison Baird, assisted by the Principal. Mr. Baird was the only Government official at the event, the others, including the Elected Member for West End, Minister of Home Affairs, Walcott Richardson, having been absent.
Opposition Leader, Evans M. Rogers, and his colleagues, Othlyn Vanterpool; AUF Party Leader, Victor Banks; and Cardigan Connor, the party’s candidate forWest End, were among the gathering.
