There was a considerable amount of excitement on Wednesday, October 26, when the Alwyn Allison Richardson Primary School at West End elected a Student Council and Class Representatives for the second time for a one-year term.
The seven councillors are Kathouchka Faith Romney, President; Jemar Willock, Vice President; Shamya Hodge, Secretary; Nomar Rodgriquez, Assistant Secretary; Carden Fleming, Treasurer; and Denari Gumbs and Ianna Peters, Public Relations Officers. In addition, there are seven Class Representatives on the Student Council drawn from Kindergarten to Grade Six.
They were all sworn in by Ms. Gleneva Hodge, the Anguillian CARICOM Youth Ambassador. She made reference to the recently-concluded Caribbean Youth Day theme entitled “From Rhetoric to Action” and reminded the members of the Student Council in particular that although the election period was passed, they were being called upon to fulfil their promises to those who elected them. She stressed that they were responsible for the students of the school and were to work in collaboration with the staff to enact those promises.
Teacher Laurie Connor explained that Student Councils were very important to the life of any school. “A Student Council is a representative structure for students to become involved in the affairs of the school, working in partnership with the school management,” she said. “We want our children to know that they have a voice in matters that affect their lives and are provided with opportunities to participate in decision-making.”
There are Student Councils in several of the public Primary Schools in Anguilla.
The Order of Ceremony included remarks and prayers by Methodist Minister-in-Training, Reverend Wilmoth Hodge, a resident of the West End/Long Bay community.