Congratulations were the order of the day on Thursday, February 19, at the Georgetown Secondary School.

With singing, poetry and steel pan music, teachers, students and invited guests gathered at the school’s auditorium to celebrate the school’s tenth anniversary.{{more}}

The school, which was officially opened on February 19, 1999, has definitely come a long way, according to Senior Education Officer Carlton Hall. “You have one of the best learning environments in the country. You must make maximum use of it,” he said.

The school, which actually opened in late 1998, was originally the Bishop’s College Georgetown, which was started in the 1960s. That school had been located partly in the Georgetown Primary School and partly in the technical centre. The Bishop’s College was then taken over by the Government, and a new structure was built, which now holds the over seven hundred students of the Georgetown Secondary School.

Hall, speaking at the school’s celebratory assembly, commended the school on its achievements. “The Georgetown Secondary School has developed a clear vision, mission and goals which are driven by a set of core values to develop a pool of qualified young people,” he said. He further encouraged the students to make use of the many available resources and to make education the number one priority in their lives. “There is simply no room in today’s world for an uneducated boy or girl. I beg you, stay in school!” Hall stressed.

Acting Principal Hilton Browne, a proud alumnus of the Bishop’s College Georgetown, noted the importance of the school to the Georgetown community. The school, he said, is a meeting place for several community groups, including the school’s band and the 4H social club. Admitting that there were many challenges encountered along the way, Browne said that they have conquered them and are prepared to overcome current and future ones. “Although we have challenges, we stand poised to overcome all challenges,” he said. Browne further encouraged the school to serve as a role model to the community. “Georgetown Secondary School must stand as a beacon to other schools in the community.”

The ceremony also featured singing by the school’s choir, poetry by the students and steel pan renditions by the school’s steel orchestra. Certificates of Service were also awarded to the staff members who were with the school since its inception. (OS)