Sixty Seven students from primary and preparatory schools were recognized for their performance in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), by Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners (NJBP) on Thursday, August 23.
The children were from more than 30 schools mostly from South West and North West St Ann located in the company’s bauxite mining areas and plant.
For each school the top boy and top girl, based on GSAT performance, were rewarded.
At a ceremony at the Port Rhodes, Sports Club, Discovery Bay, the students were awarded certificates and will each have $25,000 sent to the high schools to which they have been assigned.
The function was opened and chaired by Public Relations Manager at NJBP, Kent Skyers, who gave the welcome.
He congratulated the students for their achievements and the parents for supporting and taking care of them.
Emcee Kent Skyers lauded the students, parents and the schools from which they came and said Noranda was happy to continue the initiative of recognizing the students in this way. For Noranda, “this is one of our main events for the year…because we are recognizing excellence,” Mr Skyers said.
Craig Thompson, Plant Operations Engineering and Capital Manager at Noranda said the company was committed to outreach and giving back to the community. He said education was its main thrust. The project, to include benefits for tertiary level students, costs the company $1.5 million. Mr Thompson said that shortly, Noranda would also be announcing benefits to more than 50 students entering colleges and universities. He said the company had also provided 50 summer jobs for college students and held a camp for 300 students ages nine to 14, in cricket, netball and character development.
President of the National Parent Teachers Association, Lennon Richards was guest speaker. He said that in St Ann, “Noranda is a cut above the others” for social responsibility. Mr Richards urged men to play a greater role in the education of their children and called on the women at the event to return home and give their spouses his message and his plea for men to take greater part in their children’s education.
MP for North West St Ann, Dr Dayton Campbell also praised the students and told them that education was the bridge that took many from poverty to prosperity. An apology was tendered for MP for South West St Ann, Zavia Mayne.
Heather Reid Johnson, Principal of St Hilda’s High School, commended Noranda and the children and gave some tips about how they should transition to high school and take on the new challenges it offered.
Also among the audience was Raymon Treasure, Principal at York Castle High.
One of the most applauded speakers on the programme was a former awardee of the Noranda scholarship, Evans Linton who did his GSAT at Watt Town All Age and who was placed at York Castle. After completing York Castle he attended Brown’s Town Community College. He said he’s waiting out the coming year because of finances but will be back in school. He gave the students some real life examples from his “journey” through the system.
