The Caribbean District Oratorical contest was held in Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday April 29th, 2017 at the UWI Mona Campus. Two representatives from Anguilla, both students at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School, Campus B, traveled to Jamaica to represent the Optimist Club of Anguilla. The contestants were chosen via the Local Oratorical Contest that was held at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on Tuesday, April 4th, 2017. From this local contest, Miss Rhonica Connor and Mr. Tahjique Connor emerged victorious from a field of four girls and three boys. Both youngsters, advanced to the Optimist International Caribbean District Oratorical Contest in Jamaica.
In Jamaica, Rhonica Connor and Tahjique Connor, were competitors within a cohort of nineteen students, ten girls and nine boys. Five islands were represented in the contest: Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Our contestants gave stellar performances and although the competition was stiff, Anguilla was able to capture a second place position obtained by Miss Rhonica Connor.
The Oratorical Contest, the second longest running Optimist International programme, is open to students under 18 years of age as of 1st October of the previous year. Students are required to prepare a 4 to 5 minutes speech on a pre-assigned topic. The topic presented this year was ‘What the World Gains from Optimism’. The Oratorical Contest is designed to assist youth in gaining public speaking experience and provides them with an opportunity to compete for a scholarship of up to US$2500, if successful in the District competition.
The Optimist Club of Anguilla takes this opportunity to thank Miss Rhonica Connor and Mr. Tahjique Connor for their participation and congratulates them on their outstanding performances. We would like to acknowledge and congratulate all the students who participated in the Local Oratorical Contest held of April 4th, 2017: Jihvell Martin, Rayana Webster, Ajeanique Joseph, Jo’Ardie Richardson, and Jahiem Christie. Appreciation is also being extended to the parents and teachers for supporting the children in their preparation.
The Club thanks judges of the Local Contest Mr. Bernard Wattley, Mrs. Nakishma Hull and Mr. Kerith Kentish for supporting this event and the Club as a whole. Special thanks to the chairperson of the local event, last year’s Male Oratorical Contest Winner, Aaron Adams. A great thank you is also extended to last year’s Female Oratorical winner, Miss Nandi Edwards, for her contribution to the local contest. Thanks to Mr. Dwayne Adams and Mrs. Nakishma Hull for their assistance in the preparation of the contest winners.
It is with great honour that we thank Mrs. Jackie Connor (mother of Rhonica Connor) and Mr. Orelia Connor (Grandfather of Tahjique Connor) for traveling to Jamaica and giving so much support and encouragement, not only to their children, but to the club as well. We greatly appreciate you.
We cannot forget to thank team at the Teachers’ Resource Centre for allowing us to use the auditorium for the local contest.
The club sincerely thanks the Department of Youth and Culture for their support not only with the Optimist Club of Anguilla, but also their invaluable contribution to Anguilla’s Youth. Thank you to the management and team at Anguilla Water Sports for giving free day passes to the Aqua Park for all our local Contestants. Thank you also to the management of Results Driven Fitness Centre for giving a free month’s pass to all our local contestants. Your contribution to the positive development of our youth is appreciated.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
