Head Start on Agricultural Heritage for Independence

Fri Nov 01, 2013

Opportunities for gaining an appreciation of cultural heritage should begin at an early age. Cognizant of this, the management and staff at the Head Start Pre-school have for the past 17 years commemorated the Independence of St Vincent and the Grenadines{{more}} with a week of activities involving both parents and children.

This year, the focus was on our agricultural heritage. On Monday, October 21 and Tuesday 22, groups of students visited the Kingstown Vegetable Market where they were exposed to a variety of local fruits, vegetables and produce. Excitement was evident among the students who reported having seen “red apples, big watermelons and pumpkins.”

On Tuesday, another group of pre-schoolers visited Mudula’s Nursery in Penniston. There, children learned how plants are cared for and grown. They were also given seedlings to take home and nurture.

The final activities took place on Friday, October 25 with an exhibition depicting aspects of our culture, local dishes and local items, including plants, animals and fruits. Of particular interest to the pre-schoolers were the fluffy white rabbits and the turtle. Parents were also invited to contribute items to be presented in food packages to the Lewis Punnett home, prior to the exhibition.

This year’s focus on agriculture was initiated by the director, Lavinia Francis, who observed that on Career Day there was an absence of farmers among the professions showcased. Given this country’s heavy dependence on agriculture, Francis thought it important to highlight this aspect of our culture and teach our children to appreciate and respect our agricultural heritage.