Petersville Primary School taking education beyond the classroom

Educator Roslyn Peters is reminding Vincentians that education extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom.{{more}}

On this note, the headmistress of the Petersville Primary School, one of the leading private schools here, told SEARCHLIGHT her institution is preparing to take an educational tour to Disney World in 2011.

Peters, recognized by many as an icon in the field of Education, said every year, teachers and students of her school take an educational tour to different islands of the Caribbean. However, there have been three successful tours to Disney World, United States of America.

“We are hoping to do so again next year,” said Peters.

On Tuesday, October 26, Peters, along with some of her teachers and students, travelled to Grenada for their 2010 educational tour. The party comprised 14 children and eight adults.

“The tours exposed my students. Most children in St.Vincent and the Grenadines are very sheltered. So I’ll say that it exposes them,” said Peters.

Reminiscing on her Grenada experience, Head Girl of Petersville Primary School Cedeira Bonadie, a Grade 6 student, told SEARCHLIGHT the group stayed at the GEM Holiday Beach Resort in St.George’s and said they were treated with kindness and hospitality by the staff.

On Wednesday, October 27, celebrated in St.Vincent and the Grenadines as Independence Day, Bonadie said the group took a tour around Grenada and learned some facts about the country.

“We learnt that the capital is St.George’s; there are six parishes; the national flower, the national bird (the Grenada Dove) and about the national dish, which is Oil Down,” said Bonadie on Tuesday, November 16, when SEARCHLIGHT visited her school to hear of their experiences.

Bonadie, the daughter of Wesley and Salene Bonadie of Redemption Sharpes, said the group also learnt that Grenada has an underwater volcano called Kick ‘em Jenny, which is 100 metres off Grenada. Other important information conveyed to the group, said Bonadie, was that Grenada’s main crop is the nutmeg and they gained independence on February 7, 1974.

Aaliyah John, the daughter of Colin and Antonia John of Lowman’s Hill, recalling the fun time that she had on the tour, said: “At 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, we set out for a tour of Grenada, accompanied by tour guide Peter Dragon. On the tour we visited the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, where we learnt the stages the nutmegs go through until ready for export.

“Next we visited the Concord Waterfall, which was a very beautiful sight! While driving to the Grand Etang Lake, we learnt some facts that are unique to Grenada; for example what the stars on the flag represent. He (Dragon) also mentioned that 85 per cent of Grenadian places are French-named like Morne Rouge, meaning red mountain and Grand Anse, meaning beautiful bay. He also told us that Grand Etang was an extinct volcano. After our visit to Grand Etang, we went to Helvellyn House for lunch, where we met a very courteous waitress named Stacy. After lunch we journeyed back to the hotel and relaxed.”

John, a Grade 6 student, also chatted about the students’ visit to St.George’s University and Fort George – the fort where Maurice Bishop, the former Prime Minister of Grenada, was killed.

“We saw bullet marks on a basketball pole and names of those who were killed in that said attack, engraved on the wall,” said John.

John noted that the group was set to return to St.Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday, October 30, but had to postpone their flight as a result of Hurricane Tomas that had hit St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

She said they returned to St.Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday, November 1, and were greeted with warm hugs and kisses by their family members on arrival at the E.T.Joshua airport.