By Jaedee Caines
Under the theme ‘Shaping our Future – we can do it together’ the young leaders of the Gingerland Secondary School on Wednesday launched a primary school mentoring programme.
The launch was held at the school’s auditorium and forms part of their project for the 2005 – 2006 Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (RBTT) Young Leaders competition.
The 2005 – 2006 theme; “Shaping the future…Cherishing Life, Embracing Family Values, Respecting One Another” encourages young leaders region wide to explore their creative abilities while contributing to the community.
The mentoring programme is geared towards benefiting primary school students particularly those of grades five and six of the St. John’s and Gingerland Primary Schools. The young leaders will facilitate the mentoring sessions scheduled for 3:45pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 10am on Saturdays.
Junior Minister in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Honourable Laughton Brandy was pleased with the initiative taken by the young leaders and assured his administration’s full support of the venture.
He said; “The Ministry of Youths and Sports stands beside you, before you and behind you to give full support to your mentoring programme. It is a wonderful concept to have the students in the High School mentor students in the Primary School.”
The youth centre will provide a place where persons are able to participate in a host of activities, particularly, research and playing games.
“We also hope to decrease the involvement of youths in aimless activities that can lead to violence and crime. This project can also assist youth and other persons in the community in developing skills and talent.” Said Shari Maynard; president of the school’s young leaders.
The group has decided to put together a talk show dubbed, ‘But Seriously’ which will address issues such as religion, discrimination, health and pre-marital sex. The young leaders will also host a week of activities as part of the project. The activities include a church service, conference and the launch of our youth centre.
She said; “We are striving to win and if we do we will be ecstatic but Young Leaders is not just about winning, it is an experience and it is an opportunity. We have the privilege of working with our entire community and taking them on our journey toward Shaping the future, Cherishing life, Embracing family values and Respecting one another.”
The young leaders program is in its 25th year and began in Trinidad and Tobago.
