THE Adelphi Secondary School has been adjudged the most environmentally friendly school in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

The rural institution was last Thursday, May 9, 2005, presented with the winning prize for copping the top spot in the 2005 Environmentally Friendly School’s Competition.{{more}}

Adelphi Secondary forced the Barrouallie Secondary into second spot leaving last year’s winner St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua (SJCM) with the third position.

The SJCM trophy was dedicated to the memory of Sister Patricia-Ann Douglas, the late principal of the school who died in a car crash in Barbados on May 27.

For their feat, the Adelphi Secondary was awarded a $1, 000 book and tool voucher; the Barrouallie Secondary, a $500 book and tool voucher and SJCM, a $250 book and tool voucher.

In the primary schools category, the Pamelus Burke Primary came in first, Tourama Primary second and Belair Government third. They were awarded the same prizes in their various positions as those given to the secondary schools. All schools were presented with trophies.

And it appears the competition for next year is already on. Lotier Rose, a teacher at the SJCM expressed her disappointment that her school did not win this year. In a competitive mode and with camaraderie, she told students of the Adelphi Secondary: “Adelphi, you just got lucky. Next year we are going to get back the trophy.”

“No!” responded many Adelphi students, very vocal on their home ground where the ceremony took place.

Roger Patterson, who accepted the prizes on behalf of Adelphi, responded with equal defiance: “Adelphi starts with an A and we are first.”

Rose used the opportunity to extend an invitation to other schools to link up with the SJCM and get actively involved in an environmental club. She told the students they could be on their way to Argentina next year for the world environmental summit.

Edmund Jackson, Environmental Services Coordinator from the Ministry of Health and the Environment, said there was a great improvement in the schools’ surroundings this year, especially with their disposal of solid waste.

Joan Ryan, Public Relations Officer in the Solid Waste Management Unit, in her remarks reminded the students that cleanliness affects their health along with their environmental standing.

Ryan challenged the students to be vocal on solid waste and environmental issues. She lauded the primary schools for doing an excellent job in this year’s competition before using the opportunity to challenge the Girls’ High School, St.Vincent Grammar School and the Georgetown Secondary that despite doing well academically they should try to do better in the competition next time.

“On a whole secondary schools can do much better,” Ryan said as she explained that it was not difficult to choose the first second and third place winners in that category.