FREEPORT, Grand Bahama - Santa came early this year for high school students in Eight Mile Rock as the Grand Bahama Shipyard helped them tick something off of their Christmas wish list.
This Christmas, Eight Mile Rock High School (EMRHS) received a huge present from the Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) in the form of a much-needed $30,000 check towards the purchase of a school bus.
"Our financial donation towards the purchase of a school bus was desperately needed and will allow the students to continue to participate in academic and athletic programs throughout the community," said Kay Smith, Grand Bahama Shipyard's director of human resources and community relations. "We are thrilled to end the year with giving back to this school and these wonderful students."
The shipyard adopted EMRHS in 2002 and works to assist the school in various ways each year, assisting the school in addressing its most pressing needs. This year after hearing the pleas from the school's Principal Ivan Butler for a new bus, the shipyard decided that the bus would be our 2014 commitment to the school.
During the presentation, Shipyard CEO Carl Rotkirch noted that the shipyard is "committed to supporting the students and the institution and hope that students at the school will look at GBS not only as a company that helps their school, but as a career choice after high school through the apprenticeship program."
Rotkirch was pleased to note that a number of former Eight Mile Rock High School students have benefitted from the company's apprenticeship program.
"We are truly grateful and appreciate this huge donation, and what it will be able to do in terms of assisting us with getting a new school bus," said Butler. "Over the years the shipyard has been a good corporate sponsor to our school, assisting in many ventures, but this donation was the most significant since I became principal and I am still in shock.
"I want to extend thanks to the CEO and the other staff members who were instrumental in helping to pull this off. By early in the new year we expect to have a new school bus for students in the west GB area and we know this bus will serve them well."
Butler noted that the students participate in a variety of competitions, sporting events and debate events, many of which they go on to win. "My students are very involved in a lot of extracurricular activities and it involves a lot of bussing," he noted. "So everyone at the school is very grateful for the bus and acknowledge how much the bus will benefit them."

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