St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown pursues holistic approach to sports

An undertaking by the sports department of the St Joseph’s Convent, Kingstown, named “Empower Her,” is bringing a holistic approach to Physical Education and sports.

The two-month-old programme which sets out to have the girls being physically active and getting involved in joining a sports club has since added other components.

Shedding light on the programme, was member of the school’s sports department, Alexandra Walrond.

“ After initially wanting to get the girls be enthusiastic about sports, we saw that lack of appreciation and awareness how much sports can help persons to develop, grow, add value to their life, hence we added that emotional awareness, helping them to look at life from a different angle”, Walrond told SEARCHLIGHT.

The programme’s spokesperson noted that the interactions, knowledge of the girls’ daily involvement and insights emanating from discussions, have broadened Empower Her’s perspective.

“We realize that the programme, whilst pushed being physically active and getting involved in joining a sports club, the young ladies already have a vision of their own,” Walrond outlined.

“They have their own businesses while coming to school as some sell brownies, some cakes, crochet items, so we are also looking at building the young ladies for the future.”

Walrond said to complement the interest of the girls, a financial component was also initiated.

“We have also incorporated having a financial literacy programme in the initiative to teach the young ladies how to save, how to spend, how to create a business proposal because we realise that this is something not being taught in school,” Walrond emphasized.

As a consequence, partnerships have been forged with Rae- Dawne Howard-John, as well as Stacey Balcombe.

An excited Howard-John of Island Girl Collective commented, “My intention is to touch as many lives along with my team. I want to bridge lives and contribute to a positive change. During my time with the girls thus far as wellness mentor, I realise more how much teens are humans just like us and have a need to be seen and heard. They want to know that they are valued, their worth and they deserve it”.

Meanwhile, Balcombe, an advocate has dedicated her life to helping people, especially the young, “build better futures through business and smart money choices”.

Buoyed by the positive outcomes, Walrond said with the brewing interest, she expects a surge in the engagements at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year,.

“The programme has caught on and we envisage growth; we expect to see the girls becoming more involved in fund raising venture as they have been coached in aspects of financial literacy and other topics that they were exposed to.”