COLLEGE FAIRS CAN BE AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE Says Permanent Secretary, EducationCOLLEGE FAIRS CAN BE AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE Says

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett, told students at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School that college fairs could be an exciting experience for them as they looked forward to furthering their studies.

Education Officials and students at the Opening Ceremony

“Such fairs provide valuable information about new avenues for learning, and present a wide range of possibilities for the pursuit of higher education,” she advised the students. She was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2011 Anguilla College Fair at the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium on Monday, November 14.

Students with Ms. Jeri Richardson a graduate of Northumbria University and Law School

“On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I thank all institutions for considering this event important enough to be here, and I trust that at the end of the day you would have found it beneficial and time well spent,” Mrs. Petty-Barrett stated. She encouraged the students to make good use of the opportunity; to review the information available carefully; ask a lot of questions and ensure that they were well-informed.

Students at Anguilla Community College booth

“Choosing a college or university is a major decision, and we would want to ensure that you choose one that is right for you, and this has to be based on your own career goals and your personal expectation about college life,” she pointed out among other matters.
The Permanent Secretary commended the Careers & Guidance Unit, the Guidance & Counselling Department and the Public Library for jointly arranging the College Fair.

Ani Art Academy in Anguilla

The ceremony was chaired by Form 6 student, Chavez Edwards. He said the College Fair started fifteen years ago.
He welcomed the representatives of the various universities and colleges. The institutions, some of whom were represented by Anguillian graduates, were the University of the Virgin Islands; University of East London; Anguilla Community College; Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida; Monroe College; Northumbria University & Law School; Ani Art Academy in Anguilla; the University of the West Indies; and St. George’s University.

Monroe University

The students showed much interest in the event as they gathered around the various booths for information about the institutions.
The Fair was supervised by Careers Coordinator, AnitaMartin-Ruan.