10 receive GHS 100th year awards

Ten centenary awards, one for each decade of the school’s existence, have been presented to past students of the Girls’ High School (GHS) who have distinguished themselves in various spheres of endeavour.{{more}}

The outstanding past students received their awards last Friday evening, as the GHS held its Gala Centenary Dinner and Awards ceremony at the International Aquatic Club at Villa.

Errolene and DeLaurette McKenzie, Carteel Williams-Trotman, Roslyn Peters, Deidre Millington-Myers, Dr Camille Nicholls, Ianthea Leigertwood-Octave, Jean Duncan, Laura Anthony-Browne, Sancho Lyttle and Donna Williams-Clarke were chosen from among their peers, and given special recognition for their accomplishments in different fields.

Errolene and DeLaurette McKenize, of E and D Snacks, were the winners in the Agro sector. Both women play key roles in their family business which was established in 1995. DeLaurette is the purchasing and sales director of the firm and manages the factory along with her mother. Errolene serves as Accountant. E and D Snacks are well known for their peanuts and plantain, eddoe, breadfruit and sweet potato chips.

Carteel Williams-Trotman, proprietor of Trotmans Electronics, has spent the last 60 years of her life at the helm of her family business, and was the recipient of the centenary award in the area of Business. Over the years, Trotman ran the firm alongside her deceased husband McNeil, and had responsibility in the early years for the business finances and ordering of goods, pricing, sales and training of staff. She is still actively involved in the business and likes to introduce new products inkeeping with global trading trends. She is considered the matriach of the business, and keeps the workers firmly in check.

Roslyn Ynolde Monica Peters, popularly known as “Miss Roslyn”, was the recipient of the award for Education. She took over the role as Headmistress of the Petersville Primary School, which was opened in 1964, when her mother was no longer able to manage. She has been described as a committed, no nonsense teacher who challenges her students while teaching them the joy of learning. She exudes a powerful confidence which has earned the respect of her staff, students and their parents alike. Under her guidance, the school has grown from 5 students when it opened in 1964, to over 300 today.

Deirdre Millington Myers is a woman who can be said to have placed her stamp on the landscape of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Myers, a graduate of the class of 1978, was the winner of the Centenary award in the area of Engineering and Architecture. Over the last 20 years, she has provided design, drafting, detailing and contract administration services on several structures around the country, including the A’level College, the Accident and Emergency Department of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, several police stations and sports pavilions. She is also involved in the conservation of the nation’s architectural heritage, having worked on the restoration of Fort Duvernette, the Curator’s House at the Botanic Gardens, Government House, among others.

Consultant Gynaecologist Dr Camille Nicholls was the winner in the Health Care category. She is a graduate of the class of 1979 and is the first Vincentian woman to be appointed a consultant gynaecologist in this country.

In the area of the Law, High Court Judge Justice Ianthea Leigertwood-Octave received the nod ahead of other members of the legal fraternity. She has been a lawyer for 20 years, and during this time, she has held the posts of Registrar of the High Court, and Chief Registrar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. In 2006, she was appointed High Court judge, assigned to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Overseas Territory of Montserrat, but being resident in Nevis. She still serves in that jurisdiction. Justice Octave’s award was received on her behalf by her sister Suzanna Ollivierre.

In the area of Mass Communications, veteran broadcaster Jean Duncan was out in front. Duncan began broadcasting in 1954 with HAM Radio and was the first female broadcaster in this country. In 1968 she was appointed Manager of the Windward Islands Broadcasting Service Substation Kingstown. She was the first Vincentian born Manager of Radio St Vincent (which was set up in 1972) following in the wake of Claude Theobalds. Duncan is a symbol of the times when St. Vincent & the Grenadines was ‘finding its voice’, and she emerged as a trail-blazer with an excellent voice, who placed our country firmly in view of the region, with a story to tell that could not be ignored. Duncan’s award was collected by her friend and fellow GHS alumna Carlita Jack-Cordice.

This country’s Director of Planning received the award in the area of Public Service. Laura Anthony Browne, who is this country’s longest serving Director of Planing, has held that position since 1997. In this position, Anthony Browne is responsible for the coordination of the overall economic planning and development in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She is also the chief architect of the annual Budget Address, the major policy document of the Ministry of Finance.

Former WNBA Player Sancho Lyttle, who is presently a member of the Spanish women’s national basketball team, holds several unbroken records at the Inter-secondary school’s athletics competition here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A graduate of the class of 2000, she was the Victrix Ludorum in 1999 and won a bronze medal of St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the Junior Carifta Games. Lyttle’s award for Sports was collected by her mother.

In the area of the Arts (Creative and Performing), GHS Teacher Donna Williams-Clarke received the award for outstanding achievement. She is head of the school’s Co – Curricular Department and has her own music studio at New Montrose. She is the Director of the All Female Ensemble – Cantemus, which is renowned internationally for their flair and style. Her contribution at the Girls’ High School is unequalled. In 2009, she organized the Festival of the Arts Competition which saw students performing in twenty -three different categories of the Arts.

In addition to the centenary awards, Special Awards were presented to five persons. Meisha Bynoe, a 1999 graduate, received an award for academic excellence. Her award was collected by Laura Anthony Browne. Veronica “Rone” Derrick was awarded for her outstanding contribution as a member of the Parent-Teacher Association; Lawrence Curtis Hunte, for his exemplary service to the school as a groundsman and handyman; Johnny “JP” Pompey for his contribution to the development of the school’s steel orchestra and Cheryl Phills King for getting the message of the GHS centenary activities out to persons, especially in the Diaspora.

The three hundred persons gathered in the club, exquistly decorated with a blue and white theme, raised their glasses in toast to Mary Ince, the school’s first Headmistress, whose foresight and effort resulted in the establishment of the GHS 100 years ago.

Singer extraordinaire Erlene Williams-King dedicated her rendition of “You raise me up” to her teachers. To the honorees and the younger GHS sisters, she dedicated the song “Climb ev’ry Mountain” saying that she hoped they would strive to achieve their dreams.

The dinner and awards ceremony was followed by a dance.