Mr Vladimir Rozanovich, for school supplies at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
“We have a big story for you. Come down to Four Seasons Anguilla,” Tekeyo Bodie, the resort’s Director of Events, called The Anguillian newspaper – his voice filled with excitement.
When the newspaper arrived at the resort on Thursday, July 15, the entire front area of Aleta Restaurant was crowded with dining guests at breakfast tables. Inside were an array of laptops and a host of other educational supplies waiting to be presented to the Principals of the island’s public schools. It was a presentation by the Lenovo President’s Club – North America – hosted by Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla. It was indeed a big story.
Lenovo’s newly-appointed President for North America, Mr. Vladimir (Vlad) Rozanovich, addressed the gathering which included the Honourable Minister of Education and Social Development, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers: “Our people at Lenovo are so thrilled to come back to Anguilla,” he said. “They love not only the island and its beauty, but the people as well. Your smiling faces are a testament to exactly why we love coming back here. We spent a little time talking about education on the island. We know the last year has been tough with COVID – and having some of the kids out of school involved in e-learning, and the principals and teachers learning the new way of how to teach students.
“From a Lenovo perspective, one of the things we wanted to do is to enable and empower teachers and students, around technology, to make sure that they have an advantage – because when things like this happen [COVID] we didn’t know what to expect. And, from our perspective, what we do in the education segment is building products like these Chromebooks for students. We really hope this gives the children in the country an advantage. Our employees wanted to do something special for them and, as you can see, we asked them to bring some school supplies and, from the Management Team, we also wanted to make sure that we brought forty Lenovo Thinkpad Chromebooks.
“Thank you for sharing everything on the island with us – and so we wanted to give something back. One of the things I heard from the people on the last trip was that they loved to hear the children sing. That was beautiful so next time we hope to have that happening.”
Responding, Minister of Education, Ms. Kentish-Rogers, stated: “I just want to say, on behalf of the Ministry and the Department of Education, thank you so much, Lenovo, for all of these notebooks and school supplies for our students. We know that this has been a very difficult year and, as we move into the fourth industrial revolution – the digital industry – we know that technology and e-learning are becoming a bigger part of both our learning experience, and from what we expect from the world of work – and how students transition into that world of work. This is a very important link in engaging and empowering our students and teachers to be able to actually deliver both in terms of content and engagement.
“This is a really important step for us, and we really appreciate everything you have been doing because this is not the first time – so we have to thank you again and again. We hope that we can continue this partnership with you. I believe that you will have a special place in your hearts for Anguilla from now until infinity; that the students in Anguilla will also have a special place in your hearts; and that you will be investing in their education. I thank you very, very much.”
Mr. Rozanovich told The Anguillian newspaper: “Lenovo is a global provider of computer technology, cellular phones and services. When we award our employees for doing a good job, we call them the President’s Club, and when we go somewhere the employees in our Management Team want to know that we are doing something special for the communities where we are enjoying ourselves. When we came to Anguilla we got in touch with the Ministry of Education to talk about how the students are doing, especially as we go through remote learning and new ways of technology – given the COVID pandemic. We brought ninety Lenovo employees and we are rewarding them for the work they have done over the last year.” (There was a number of other persons on the President’s Club trip, totalling over 200.)
Mr. Rozanovich recalled that two years ago Lenovo did something very similar for Anguilla. “I think that this time our employees really went above and beyond,” he went on. “We wanted to make sure that we brought school supplies as well as computers. This is what we wanted to do for the people of Anguilla and the education system.”
Meanwhile, the General Manager of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla, Mr. Diego Angarita, commented: “We, at Four Seasons, are very excited to be able to host Lenovo for the second time. Lenovo was here in 2019 and now, to bring over 200 people, it is the single largest event and piece of business on Anguilla this season. Four Seasons is incredibly proud to be able to host them, and partner with them, and to offer this opportunity to share this with the people of Anguilla. As I said, this is our biggest group for the season and we have many more coming in the first quarter next season.”
The General Manager added: “Our staff could not be more excited to have such an event. It is going to be a week of fun and excitement; and what a way to finish the 2021 season in July, giving us momentum for what is still to come.”
