Lewisburg Primary celebrates Jamaican culture
Published:Saturday | August 11, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Cabbrina Lennox, Gleaner Writer
HIGHGATE, St Mary:
IF YOU take a drive away from the hustle and bustle of Highgate, pass the high fences of the Richmond prison, you will find the Lewisburg Primary School tucked away in the lush green hills of St Mary.
The school, although small in number, shows that the students and staff are big on culture as they celebrated Jamaica's 50 years of Independence on Monday, August 6.
Leroy Fairweather, chairman of the school board, said the event was being held in response to the request by the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites for all schools to observe Jamaica's Golden Jubilee.
Said Fairweather: "We at Lewisburg feel that it is important to display fragments of our culture so that the children and members of the community can know our rich history. Therefore, we have on display old pots and pans, old-time Jamaican food like potato pudding, chocolate tea with coconut milk, and rundown with salt mackerel served with roasted breadfruit."
He noted that although the school has had its ups and downs, there has been much improvement during the past three years since Principal Patricia Clarke took up office.
"I didn't want it to be a two-hour event so we went all out and planned a number of competitions in the day and, to top things off, we'll have a concert in the evening," Clarke told The Gleaner.
PARTNERSHIPS FORMED
"We had a meeting with the relevant groups such as the PTA (Parent-Teacher Association), and other members of the various groups, as well as Mr Shawin Reynolds from the Social Development Commission (SDC) who was more than willing to give support and advice," the principal added.
"The SDC is very much involved. We came around and met with the group, helped them to plan the events that they have on their agenda and saw to it that they are successful," Reynolds explained.
The school does well in sports and has won numerous awards in this area, which were displayed at the ceremony.
"When I first came here the school wasn't involved in any competitions. I've entered them into a number of sporting competitions like football, cricket, darts, and road races," Clarke disclosed. "We entered 24 students at the parish level, and out of that five made it to the nationals. We have won a number of trophies, including first-place prizes,'' the principal added.
The Independence Day event will be remembered by the community. The proceeds will help to renovate a section of the staffroom, which will be converted into a homework centre to help members of the community who drop out of school to uplift themselves.
"We have a high rate of dropout in this community, and we want to help them to upgrade themselves," Reynolds of the SDC explained. "We want to build a homework centre so that persons can go back and do some reading, and some computer courses. But we need funding, and we are presently approaching some non-governmental organisations to assist us with this venture," he added.
Principal Clarke was enthusiastic in explaining her vision for the school and the community.
"I want to take Lewisburg to the sky. The sky is the limit. I'm not going to stop here. Lewisburg will be a force to reckon with," she asserted.
She give high regards to parents who she said have supported her throughout her three years as principal. She called on them to stand with her as she continues in her efforts to put Lewisburg Primary School on the map again.