The Valley – The 2022 Hello Tourist Programme, which has once again been impacted by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, began in earnest at the end of Term 2 with class visits to all Grade Six classes by the Tourism Education Coordinator, Mrs. Candis Niles. The programme continued this week with the conduct of site visits to Art Centres as a critical element of the Project Component of the programme.
In this segment, students were given the opportunity to visit an Art Centre in order to experience and observe the work of local artists, as a means of inspiring the efforts of the students to create their own pieces of art. The objective is to expose the students to the way in which they may use their individual skills and talents to generate supplemental streams of income within Anguilla’s tourism-based economy while, at the same time, contributing to the authenticity of the island’s tourism product offering.
The Tourism Education Unit (TEU) was pleased to partner with two centres, the Made in Anguilla (MIAXA) Centre and the Anguilla Arts & Craft Centre (AACC), in this project. Students from the AARPS visited the MIAXA Centre in West End where they were hosted by Centre Managers, Mrs. Kalyn Mairyshaw and Ms. Kemoloy Murphy of the Department of Youth and Culture (DYC). Highlights of the students’ experience included the opportunity to engage with a local artist featured at the Centre, Mrs. Jane Price, who spoke with the students about her creative work with Jewelry, and a question-and-answer session during which the students were awarded prizes for their correct answers.
Students from VPS and MVPS visited the AACC where they were hosted by Centre Manager, Sylvia Hodge. Students had the opportunity to interact with visitors to the Centre who shared with them their experiences with local Art.
Mrs. Niles reminded the students of the importance of the ASKE principles of Attitude, Skills, Knowledge and Experience to their site visit, as they were effectively serving as ambassadors for their schools during the visit, and she also shared with the students the various media used to express the artists’ talent and creativity, as well as materials being used. Students were also given the opportunity to learn how cultural traditions can be showcased in art to make their creations more authentic and appealing to visitors.
Students were given an exit assessment to test how much they had learned from the site visit – and the results of the assessment will be used to help determine which students will be considered for the Hello Tourist Award of a full Excursion Experience on the island, inclusive of an island tour, attraction visit and lunch and swimming at one of the island’s leading beach-side restaurants.
The TEU extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the DOE, Mrs. Paula Connor, Ms. Deslyn Richardson, Mrs. Kenesha Hughes, and Mrs. Wanda Buffonge, for their assistance with the logistics of the visits, and to the bus driver who provided the transportation of the students. Thanks are also extended to the Grade Six teachers for their support and cooperation in facilitating the visits on behalf of their students.
– Press Release
