Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 29, 2023 (SKNIS): One boy from every public primary school in St. Kitts and Nevis was honoured on Thursday (June 29, 2023), as the Department of Gender Affairs hosted the inaugural Boys of Excellence Awards Ceremony at the Solid Waste Management Corporation Conference Room.
The ceremony forms part of the department’s commemoration of the International Day of the Boy Child. The international observance was held on May 16, 2023, but organizers planned activities on different dates before and after the actual day.
The awardees were Joshua Wattley of the Dr. William Connor Primary School; K’Jell Taylor of the Beach Allen Primary School; Shaston Powell of the Newton Ground Primary School; Devarie Boyles of the St. Paul’s Primary School; Joshua Taylor of the Edgar T. Morris Primary School; Allique Gutierrez of the Cayon Primary School; Stephen Kawall of the Deane Glasford Primary School; Rodney Huggins of the Irish Town Primary School, and Vasheed Stevens of the Violet Petty Primary School. Other boys receiving an award were Treyden Douglas of the Sandy Point Primary School; Leyon Greene of the Tucker Clarke Primary School; Tariq Berridge of the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School; Imari Liburd of the Tyrell Williams Primary School; Ashmo Dorset Jr. of the Saddlers Primary School; Enyer Ventura-Beard of the Dieppe Bay Primary School; Joshua Finch of the Estridge Primary School, and Kayden Garvey of the Bronte Welsh Primary School.
Each boy was selected for exhibiting virtues in the areas of respect, self-control, compassion, and discipline, demonstrating exemplary attitude and behaviour in school and the community, and participating in extracurricular activities.
The young boys were presented with their awards by various Ministers of Government including Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, Deputy Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Senior Minister the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas and the Honourable Konris Maynard.
Prime Minister Drew congratulated the young men and noted that he was proud of their accomplishments, standing as positive role models for their peers.
Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Hanley, who is also the Minister of Gender Affairs, said that the Boys of Excellence Awards Ceremony is an important part of the ministry’s effort to embrace and empower young men and provide further opportunities to elevate. He strongly encouraged the boys to create short, medium and long-term goals.
“I want to encourage you to be strong, respectful, and at the same time, never allow anyone to define you,” said the Honourable Dr. Hanley. “You establish at an early age who you are, what you want to achieve in life and all of the steps that are needed in order for you to achieve your goals.”
The deputy prime minister further advised the young boys to “discover your purpose, be prayerful and find your passion.”
Dr. Hanley applauded the organizers of the event and pledged that the Boys of Excellence Awards will become a regular fixture on the calendar of the Department of Gender Affairs.
