Parkinson School Commended For Its Achievements

The Parkinson Memorial School, which is celebrating its 65th anniversary, received high praise from President of Barbados, His Excellency, Lieutenant Colonel, The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, during his visit to the school last Thursday.

President Bostic stated that “Parkinson School has done extremely well”, and its achievements need to be “accentuated” and made known to the public.

He noted that the current approach of characterising, classifying and categorising schools is “a thing of the past” and has not worked in Parkinson’s favour.

Impressed with the welcome he received, His Excellency further noted that it was time to organise an annual event for schools to showcase their talent.  This, he said, will allow the public to better understand the positive impact teachers, communities, and organisations have on students.   

Highlighting achievements of some past students, His Excellency stated: “School is education…but school is also preparing our young boys and girls for life, and it is what you do when you leave school that would suggest to people whether or not you really did learn.”

In his welcome address, Principal of the School, Captain Adrian Ward, stated: “Success is not measured by how many certificates you can acquire, but what you can do with the time we have here….” 

He added: “I say to you all, through service, dedication, …and commitment, you can achieve excellence.”

The formal “Address to the President” was delivered by Head Girl Aleisha Forrester under the theme “Sixty-five Years of Excellence, Honouring our Past, Shaping our Future”. 

She said: “This school has weathered change, embraced innovation, and remained steadfast in its mission to nurture not only academics, but also character, discipline and community spirit.”

In his remarks, Aide-de-Camp to the President and an alumnus of the school, Captain Tevin Maynard, commented: “Excellence is possible for each and every single one of you here today…. All that is required for excellence is relentless tenacity and self-discipline…. You have to remain committed to the task.”

Alumnus of the school, Edwin Yearwood, who is also an entertainer and digital creator, reflected on the financial difficulties he faced growing up and the lack of resources and channels for him to pursue a music career. 

He encouraged the students to be persistent and be their own boss. He also advised them to keep dreaming and to remain positive and have the right influences in their lives, especially friendships.

In addition to a parade by members of the cadet corps, students and staff showcased their talents, which included performances by the school choir and Ian Webster (iWeb), who performed his 2025 calypso song “Twisted”. 

President Bostic received two tokens of appreciation from the school: a self-portrait painted by Matthew Squires, art teacher at the school, and a commemorative plaque. (PR/GIS)