GHS Young Leaders want ‘Diversity’ crown

The residents of the Thompson Home for the Elderly, as well as the Lewis Punnett Home, received a visit from the St Vincent Girls’ High School Young Leaders on Saturday, March 1st, 2014.{{more}} This is indicative of the young leaders’ quest to become Diversity Champions within their society. This year’s RBC Young Leaders programme is being held under the theme: “Diversity…the 21st Century Imperative,” from which the GHS Young Leaders’ sub-theme, “A Diverse Society is a Thriving Society,” was derived.

The visit to the aforementioned homes is a reflection of the GHS Young Leaders’ philosophy that our society should be made more inclusive of various dimensions of diversity, such as elders and persons from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, the group said in a release.

“We contend that a nurturing environment should be fostered where such persons can feel safe, valued, respected and can achieve their full potential. Indeed, we believe that the elders and the less fortunate persons in our society have been forgotten and often times neglected. We noted that as young people, we usually consider ourselves to be more aware and educated than our elders especially in this technological age. However, following the time spent with the residents of the Thompson’s Home for the Elderly, we admit that this outlook on life only serves to hinder our growth as youth and conceal the beauty and strength of diversity here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” the group said.

“During our visit to both homes, we engaged in heartwarming conversations and the rendition of several songs requested by the residents. This, we recollect, brought smiles to the residents’ faces. The residents sought to show their appreciation of the gesture by telling humorous stories and sharing experiences about past events, such as the 1979 volcanic eruption of La Soufrière. Our young leaders recounted conversations in which some of the residents at the Lewis Punnett Home described the solitude they felt at their homes before moving to the Thompson’s Home for the Elderly, a place the residents described as serene and comfortable.”

The residents of the Lewis Punnett Home were also appreciative of the visit from the GHS Young Leaders. The young leaders donated toiletries to the home and serenaded residents of the female section with songs of their choice.

“The GHS Young Leaders take this opportunity to challenge everyone to be Diversity Champions; showing appreciation and respect for the elderly and the less fortunate, and by extension, being more inclusive of individual differences within our society.”