Many Anguillian adults would recall that, in the past, at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School (ALHCS), or the former Valley Secondary School (VSS), it was mandatory that each student belonged to a school club that would serve to provide some form of extra-curricular activity and contribute to well-rounded youth experiences.
The Anguilla Youth Empowerment Club (AYEC) is one such body that, today, not only caters to extracurricular programs, but also fosters the development of body, mind and spirit, thus providing for the holistic wellbeing of its student members. On Friday, November 8th, AYEC held first conference e at the Teachers’ Resource Centre.
The Director of the Club is Maxine Alonzo, and the Coordinator is Karen Morancie, both of whom are teachers at the ALHCS. To make the event even more special, the Club invited the participation of a few members of their St. Martin counterparts, comprising eight young people from the Dutch side and two from the French.
The Anguillian spoke with Mrs. Morancie who explained: “The AYEC is a club that functions out of Campus B of the ALHCS, and the members of this club range from Form 1 up to Form 6. This youth conference focuses on living a holistic life — and the purpose of the conference is to expose the students to the various aspects of their lives as they grow and develop. We stress on such issues as having healthy life styles, having good interpersonal relations — and we sensitize the youth on how to be responsible for their actions and the wholesome traits that are expected of them.”
She went on to share how important it is for youth to be diligent enough to take care of the total person as they grow: “Today, youth have so many responsibilities that they often forget to take care of themselves. Some youth just simply do not know much about self-care. Having a well-cared-for body can make the youth feel good about himself or herself. Proper care of one’s self conveys to others that, overall, he or she places value on life. This can contribute to long-term feelings of wellbeing…self-care is not an indulgence; instead, it is the core of our wellbeing. A holistic self-care plan looks at how one treats the body, mind and spirit.”
Mrs. Morancie then emphasized the potential benefits of the conference: “The 2019 Youth Conference is intended to empower young women and men by providing them with the tools to help them live a more purposeful and meaningful life. This conference will teach our youth to be self-aware. Self-awareness is the first step in creating what our youth’s wants and needs are. Having clarity about who they are, and what they want and need, will enable our youth to consciously and actively help to bring such wants and needs to fruition.”
She noted finally noted that as the youth get to know themselves they will become aware of their strengths and weaknesses. “This knowledge,” she claimed, “will in turn empower them to bring about the changes that can transform their lives, communities and society as a whole.”
The keynote speaker for the conference was Mrs. Susan Hodge, and conference topics and speakers included: “Making Healthy Life Choices” by Nurse Cevilla Kentish; Maintaining Positive Interpersonal Relationships by Pastor Howard Simon; “Managing Your Emotions When Dealing with Difficulties” by Monique Rey; and Having a Sense of Contentment, Self-Esteem and Confidence” by Counselor Georgina N. Durand.
There were some 53 persons attending the conference, at the end of which each participating youth was awarded an attractive certificate.
