The St. Michael School Students Commended For Peer Support Programme

President of Barbados, His Excellency, Lieutenant Colonel, The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, has commended the students and teachers of The St. Michael School for their Big Brother Big Sister Peer Support Programme.

He said the programme allowed new students to feel “comfortable” during their induction and assisted with their overall development.  He shared these comments during his visit to the school on Tuesday. 

His Excellency noted a correlation between the school’s Big Brother Big Sister programme and one of the guiding principles of the soon-to-be launched Chapman Challenge – Mentorship as Currency.

He indicated that with the school’s mentorship programme, teachers serve as mentors to the students. 

President Bostic noted that both programmes have helped to create a “family atmosphere” at the school and challenged the student body to “help with some of the communities” within the school’s vicinity, if they were not currently doing so. 

As part of their efforts to give back to the community, he encouraged the students to assist those in surrounding communities preparing for the Common Entrance exam, “whose parents don’t have the means”. 

He further encouraged the student body to include other areas such as music, leveraging the school as a base for the activity.

These efforts, he continued, would assist students who are struggling academically and are at risk of leaving school “without any academic qualification”, or “technical or vocational certification” and not “prepared for the world of work”.

In her address, Principal of the school, Tanya Harding, noted that His Excellency serves as an example to the students that “leadership, service and excellence are attainable through discipline, commitment and integrity”.

Mrs. Harding noted that the school “fosters strong student leadership” through their “prefect body, student council, peer support and student run clubs”, and engages in charitable work, including preparing hampers and gifts for charities, and supporting the elderly and students in need. 

President of the Student Council, Romar Corbin, delivered the vote of thanks, and told the students to keep in mind that their “next decision [and] their next move must always be the best”.

President Bostic was presented with artwork entitled “Underwater”, by Alexandria Waterman, President of the Art Club, and a Cougar Gear (athletic) kit by Head Boy Kamari Cummins. (PR/GIS)