13 students receive first Sister Pat Awards

Thirteen students of the St Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua were awarded the inaugural ‘Sister Pat Award for Excellence’ last Friday, January 13.{{more}}

Glendon Archibald and Kirthlyn Joseph of Form 1; Joel Bascombe, Shazeeke Browne, Rudysha Corridon, Jasian Gardener and Shonelle Harris (Form 2); Modica Bascombe, Ranika Douglas, Joshua Gooding, Georgeanna Jackson and Ronessa John (Form 3) and Josielle Primus, now a student of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, Department of Arts and Sciences, made history by being the first group of students to receive the award.

The award was created to honour the legacy of Sister Patricia Ann Douglas, former principal of the school who perished in a vehicular accident in May, 2005 in Barbados.

Sister Jacinta Wallace, Principal of the school, said that there was some effort put in to finding a way to honour the life and work of Sister Pat, as she was commonly known.

“Sister Pat’s thrust was to take care of the whole person; to prepare her students for the real world and to ensure the endurance of a strong, Christian value in society,” Sister Jacinta said.

“So, when the ultimate idea was hatched for an award of excellence, it was appropriate that it be named in her honour,” she continued.

To qualify for the award, students must maintain an average of 70 per cent or more, be punctual and have an outstanding attendance record, participate in community service day and must be involved in one extracurricular activity. Students demonstrating these qualities for an entire three-term academic year qualify for the award, Sr. Jacinta explained.

The aim of the award, she said, was to motivate students to achieve and maintain high academic standards and encourage good citizenship.

As part of the award, the thirteen students each received $100, which according to Sister Jacinta would be put towards a tertiary scholarship fund for each of the awardees.

“Students will receive their total award monies at graduation,” she said. (DD)