Troumaca Government School joins the Scout Movement

Tuesday, July 4, turned out to be a momentous occasion for the students, parents and staff of the Troumaca Government School when an Investiture ceremony was held to inaugurate their first Cub Scouts Pack.

At Tuesday’s ceremony, 24 of the 28 Cub Scouts, were presented with their paraphernalia and solemnly made their pledge of loyalty to the organisation.

The realization of the Cub Scouts Pack, was through the instrumentality of Tiffanie Ferdinand, who has been at the Troumaca Government School from September last year.

“ I did my practicum for Teacher’s College at the Questelles Government School, and I saw the impact of the Cub Scouts at that school, so when I was assigned to Troumaca, I said that I would like to see it here as well,” Ferdinand told SEARCHLIGHT.

Also on the teacher’s mind was the non- existence of such an organisation, northwards of Questelles.

“ I came to realise that there was no Scout Movement after you leave Questelles, so I said let me start one in North Leeward, and here we are today.”

Ferdinand however, confessed that she knew little of the Scout Movement, but endeavour to make her aspiration a reality.

“ I had little knowledge of scouting, and as little girl, I was a Brownie and was part of a 4H Club years ago”, she related.

Parliamentary Representative for North Leeward Carlos James, in his brief remarks at the ceremony, extolled the virtues of organisations such as the Scouts.

“As an institution, it functions as part of the social programming of our youths … I believe this Scout

Pack is also going to allow and facilitate the transformation of the social, behavioural changes among the young people (as) it is part of their development and growth”, James pointed out.

Throwing out a challenge to parents and others in attendance to play their part in fostering the growth and development of the children in the community, James advised that “ Discipline starts in your home and the support of movements such as the Scouts, but ultimately it takes the proverbial saying- it takes a village to raise a child … All of us, we have that responsibility”.

Apart from James, the investiture ceremony also heard remarks from Lemuel Providence, who gave a brief history of Scouting; principal of the Troumaca Government School, Bobzie Joyette; and Sherron Morgan, Chief Commissioner of the SVG Scouts Association.

Scouting began in 1907 as a programme for boys 11-18 years old and is considered the world’s leading educational youth movement.