Mrs. Jemila Morson-Hodge (centre)
On Wednesday 29th January 2020, the OKPS PTA Executive hosted the OKPS Excellence Awards at the St. Gerard’s Catholic Church in The Valley. The Awards Ceremony recognized students for their achievements in making the Honour Roll (Principal’s & Deputy Principal’s List), Reading and Sports for the academic year September 2018 – July 2019.
The event kicked off at 5 p.m. with a procession of the Honorees. Welcome remarks were rendered by Nakishma Rogers-Hull who was also the Mistress of Ceremony and is the current Vice President of the PTA Executive. Mrs. Rogers-Hull indicated that despite some unforeseen challenges in their second term, the PTA Executive was happy to deliver another Excellence Awards which was the second in the their 2-year term. She commented that the event was one of their “proudest achievements among many others” as alumni of the School.
The platinum sponsor for the event was ANGLEC and the company’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Jemila Morson-Hodge, gave brief remarks before surprising the PTA Executive members with gift bags in recognition of their efforts as an Executive body.
The Principal, Marcia Brooks, addressed the crowd to a loud automatic reply from her students. She highlighted the characteristics of the ideal awardee and encouraged her students to continue working hard.
The President, Mrs. Twyla Richardson-Thomas, asserted that it was important for her team to reward students, “In a Special and Intentional way”, so that the students could continue to make excellence a habit. She recognized the efforts of the students, their parents, the teachers, the community and particularly corporate citizens like ANGLEC – and observed that when all these stakeholders worked together, cohesively, they are living the School’s Motto: “Together we aspire. Together we achieve!”
One hundred and five (105) students made the Honour Roll – 45 of those awardees made the Principal’s List and 60 made the Deputy Principal’s list. One hundred and twenty (120) students received Reading Awards and fifty (50) students were awarded for outstanding performance in Sports. There were eighteen (18) students who received all three (3) awards.
Ms. Amiyah Carty of Grade 6R received the Colin Johnson Award which is an award given to an outgoing student who embodies school spirit, and performs exceptionally in academics and athletics. Mrs. Rogers-Hull highlighted some of Ms. Carty’s achievements – and the criteria – before calling up a very surprised Amiyah to be presented with the prestigious award by Tr. Colin Johnson himself.
Ms. Sheila Hodge, the PTA Executive Secretary, presented three awards to persons who served the school admirably, in a voluntary capacity, for over ten (10) years. Mr. Justus “Bumsy” Connor received a special award for coaching Volleyball, Basketball and assisting with the boys’ Football coaching. Coaches Linda Proctor and Sharmaine Webster received special awards for jointly coaching the School’s netball team and current Netball Champions.
The PTA Executive wishes to thank the School for providing the results and the information for the awards, their sponsors, donors and well-wishers for their much appreciated contributions. Also the parents of the amazing PTA body that they represent and, most importantly, the students for being outstanding Ambassadors for the OKPS. As President Twyla Richardson-Thomas rightly said, in her address to the attendees: “Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well”, and the OKPS PTA Executive is committed to this ideal for the remainder of its term.
– Contributed
