The 2014 Hello Tourist Programme came to an end on Tuesday, July 8, with a closing ceremony inclusive of awards presentations, on the lawn of the Anguilla Tourist Board.
The students and teachers, from a number of schools, were addressed by Mrs Candis Niles, Director of Tourism, and Mrs Gilda Gumbs-Samuel. They both expressed the importance of tourism to Anguilla and the exciting careers the industry offers.
Mrs Twyla Richardson-Thomas, the Tourist Board’s Marketing Officer and Project Coordinator of the Hello Tourist Programme, spoke highly about the projects handcrafted by the students. She also reported on her visits to the various primary schools and her impressions about the beautiful work of the students.
Mrs Susan Smith, Education Officer, Primary Education, assisted with the awards presentations. Individual awards were presented to students from each of the schools, whose handicraft projects were judged as their top submissions.
The awardees were as follows: Daejanay Connor, Morris Vanterpool Primary School; Ta-Leah Bradshaw, Vivien Vanterpol Primary School; Aaron Adams, Orealia Kelly Primary School; Selvio Hodge, Valley Primary School; Danice Hodge, Central Christian School; Nandi Edwards, Omolulu International School; Nicholas Carbon, Adrian T. Hazell Primary School; and Devante Richardson, Allwyn Allison Richardson Primary School.
The project of the year award was presented to the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School which also won the award last year. Second place was awarded to the Morris Vanterpool Primary School; and the Alwyn Allison Richardson Primary School (which was not represented) received the third place award.
The individual projects will be on display at the Anguilla Public Library for viewing by the general public during the month of August.
Mrs Twyla Richardson-Thomas said the success of the programme was largely due to the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, the Education Department, the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association and the Anguilla Tourist Board; the parents, the principals, grade six teachers and the participating students; the sponsorships by several tourism properties and other partners.
She specifically acknowledged the following partners who graciously hosted overnight stays by the students in the Hello Tourist Programme: Carimar Beach Club, Anguilla Great House, Paradise Cove Resort, Viceroy Anguilla, Cap Juluca, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, Frangipani Beach Resort; Anacaona Boutique Hotel; Spy Glass Hill Villa/Sunset Homes; Restaurants Straw Hat, E’s Oven, Flavours, Tasty’s Elite, Dolce Vita, DaVida’s, Smokey’s, Blanchards Breach Shak, Coba at Viceroy, Italia at CuisinArt and Pimms at Cap Juluca for the provision of discounted meals for the students; Fat Cat Gourmet, Old Caribe Restaurant at the Great House, Sandy Island Restaurant, English Rose, 4Cs and Titanium Sounds for their contributions to the closing ceremony.
There were also expressions of thanks to Hughes Taxi & Tours, Vanterpool’s Taxi, Premier Taxi & Tours and Bennie’s Taxi & Tours which assisted with the transportation of the students for hotel visits as well as for the island tours.
