Just under 200 students at the Adrian T Hazell Primary School have been presented with awards in the Third Annual Dorothy Hughes Academic Award Ceremony held at the Bethel Methodist Church on Tuesday evening this week, March 25.
The kindergarten and grade one to grade six students were awarded respectively for their performance in Macmillian Reading Test, Literacy, Information Technology and Test of Standards including Language, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
The appreciation awards were presented by Dr Lowell Hughes and Dr Franklin Hughes assisted by Mr Fabian Lewis and Mrs Susan Smith respectively.
The annual event commemorates the outstanding service provided by the late Mrs Dorothy Hughes, who was a senior teacher for many years at the school which was formerly known as the Road Primary School. Mrs Hughes was the wife of Mr Freddie Hughes and mother of Drs Lowell and Franklin Hughes who, along with other family members, participated in the ceremony.
Senior teacher, Mr Maurice Skellikie, said, in delivering the welcome remarks, that three years ago the school’s Management Team took a decision to recognise excelling students and the Hughes family readily agreed to provide the sponsorship. He praised Teacher Dorothy for her work and was grateful to her family not only for sponsoring the event, but for their personal involvement in the ceremony.
Mrs Susan Smith, Education Officer, Primary and Pre-primary, expressed gratitude to the Hughes family for their continuing partnership with the Adrian T Hazell Primary School to celebrate the achievements of the school.
“In honouring the students, you are showing that you are recognising excellence and, more importantly, you are saying that education is important,” Ms Smith told the family members. “The achievements of the awardees show that if our children are given the right opportunities they can perform well. I wish to place on record our commendation to the principal and staff for their personal efforts to improve the quality of work and learning at the school.”
Mr Larry Franklin, nephew of the late Mrs Hughes, delivered a motivational address in which he called on students to dedicate themselves to high standards of value in their entire school life and beyond, and to be assets to Anguilla.
He told them about the various social and economic difficulties endured by their forebears “but, despite the hardships, there was an Anguilla that was steeped in traditional virtues of politeness, courtesy, respect, love, community support and hard work.” He also spoke about the modern aspects of life in Anguilla, including technology, and its usefulness to them. He, however, cautioned that while the internet is good, it can be dangerous – and that they should avoid looking at and posting negative things on it that could haunt them later on. He advised them to follow high principles of good behaviour and to dedicate themselves to their school work.
The award ceremony commenced with an opening prayer by Rev Dr Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Church. He was grateful, as a young teacher, to have served with the late Mrs Hughes, whom he commended for her contribution to education in Anguilla.
