The Vivien Vanterpool Primary School at Island Harbour has commissioned a brand new and well-equipped kitchen for its immediate meals programme for all of its students – the first such undertaking in Anguilla. In addition, the kitchen will serve as a-kids-at-school cooking club.
Mrs Susan Smith, Education Officer, Primary/Pre-primary, has praised the initiative of the school and the contributors. “On behalf of the Department of Education, it gives me great pleasure to extend sincere appreciation to all those community-minded individuals and school development partners, who played an integral role in the construction and furnishing of this lovely kitchen facility,” she stated. She was speaking during the blessing of the facility by Pastor Evan Brooks, Leader of the Friends of the School.
Mrs Smith continued: “I know that the teachers, parents and students, greatly appreciate your contribution and are all proud of the end product. This kitchen facility is timely as the department, through the schools, has embarked on an initiative to fill the gap for some homes by providing a meal for a few vulnerable children. We are indeed pleased to know that the school now has more flexibility in providing for the needs of the children and staff.” She told the teachers that they now had an additional resource to enhance the delivery of their lessons and challenged them to explore ways of incorporating cooking into their lessons.
Minister of Education, Mr Jerome Roberts, said he was pleased that the Festival de Noel Committee, of which he is Chairman, had been able to donate a stove to the kitchen “which was the completion of a job well done by the faithful citizens of the community”.
The Minister stressed that breakfast was important and that some children were in an unfortunate position of not being able to have that first meal of the day at home. “This facility will serve as a stopgap measure,” he continued. “The facility will get assistance from Government, through the Ministry, but it will not be sufficient. This is the community’s facility and, when you go to shop, always remember the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School’s kitchen … to help the children. He commended Principal Tracelyn Hamilton and her staff for their hard work towards the realisation of the kitchen at their school. He observed that the Alwyn A Richardson School at West End had a similar, but larger, kitchen facility and hoped that the various other schools would work towards the establishment of such a facility.
Mrs Hamilton, in an address entitled “The Journey From Dream to Reality”, said in part: “It was as I dreamed and so did others – the thought of having a facility that truly resembled a kitchen where meals can be prepared for our children most efficiently. The reality was, and still is, that there is no money for such projects, though important. It was apparent that the Government was in no position to fund such a project, but this was not a deterrent. With permission granted by the department, we were determined to make it happen.”
Mrs Hamilton was grateful to all of the donors who contributed to the provision of the kitchen. “Three years, three months later and a dream has become a reality,” she stated. “We have come this far by faith. We sincerely thank everyone for partnering with us, and we pray God’s continued favour and blessing on your lives and businesses alike.”
Responding to a question from The Anguillian, Mrs Hamilton said breakfast would be optional for students, depending on whether or not they ate at home before arriving at the school, but that lunch would be served.
The ribbon to the kitchen was cut by retired teacher, Ms Carmen Richardson, who was a staff member at the Vivien Vanterpool School from 1971 to 1974.
The ceremony was chaired by Mr Winston Duncan. “I hope that at some point in time some of the other schools will also get kitchen facilities so that we can help other children in need,” he commented.
