St Helena's primary schools have a long history of participating in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, a tradition they have upheld since the competition was established in 1883. The competition expanded two years ago to include students from Prince Andrew School. This annual event engages thousands of students and aims to celebrate student achievement, empower youth voices, and develop creative writing skills, focusing on Commonwealth-related themes to promote empathy and diverse perspectives on global challenges.
The theme for the 2024 competition was 'Our Common Wealth', inviting students to reflect on how they cope with adversity, and utilize community and culture to foster resilience and hope amidst increasing global challenges. Topics for the junior category included eco-friendly habits, dialogues on resilience between different generations, imaginative interactions with sea creatures during a beach clean-up, and navigating cultural differences in a school exchange program.
Senior category topics featured practical steps to address the climate crisis, persuasive speeches on global challenges utilizing Commonwealth values, reflections on family values in different cultures for fostering cooperation, and advisory letters to leaders on achieving peace, liberty, and progress.
An awards ceremony took place at Plantation House on Tuesday, April 15, presented by HE Acting Governor, Tasha Harris, and Harford Primary's Head Teacher, Carlean Crowie. The ceremony witnessed 19 students receiving bronze medals, 20 receiving silver, and five being awarded gold medals.
Carlean Crowie remarked, "This year, we celebrated a record-breaking 44 winners – a clear reflection of the remarkable growth and development in pupils’ writing across our schools. I hope this success inspires even more pupils to embrace the challenge of the 2025 competition with renewed enthusiasm and determination."
Photos from the ceremony included Head Teacher Carlean Crowie delivering the opening speech, Tasha Harris giving congratulatory remarks, and images of the students receiving their respective awards. Marie Horton, the Interim Portfolio Director, concluded the event with closing remarks.
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