2,000 in prizes to autism spectrum awareness essay contest winners

Fri, Jul 3rd 2015, 12:15 PM

AUTISM AWARENESS ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS:  Seated -- LaTess Bartlett of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy, Senior Grand Prize Winner and Amaya Fowler of St. Anne's School, Junior Grand Prize Winner.  Standing - Brigitte McPhee, Office Administrator, REACH Bahamas; Joseph Townsend of Jack Hayward School, Junior Honorable Mention; Javonne Cumberbatch of C.C. Sweeting High School, Senior Honorable Mention; Ari Brathwaite of Queen's College, Senior Honorable Mention; Corinna Neely, President, FirstCare Medical Plan; Serethea Clarke, Acting Deputy Director, the Ministry of Education and Rickcardo Miller, Acting President, REACH Bahamas.  (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)NASSAU, The Bahamas - Autism Spectrum comprises the fastest growing developmental disorder in The Bahamas. For the third year, dozens of students throughout The Bahamas accepted the challenge posed by FirstCare Medical Plan in association with The Ministry of Education and REACH Bahamas to pen an essay under the theme "Autism in The Bahamas: A Nation Without Boxes."
A panel of judges from The Ministry of Education and REACH chose two grand prize winners and three honourable mention winners among junior and senior students.
LaTess Bartlett of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy was the Senior Grand Prize Winner, and Amaya Fowler of St. Anne's School, Junior Grand Prize Winner.
Acting Deputy Director of Education Serethea Clarke said "we truly believe that education is everybody's business," in her congratulatory address to the winners, highlighting the Ministry of Education's continued support of the competition.
The five winners were awarded cash and prizes valued at more than $2,000 including gift certificates from John Bull, The Shoe Village and Custom Computers.
"Ours is a long-term and nationwide effort, to do our part to ensure that children on the autism spectrum have every chance to become productive citizens," said Corinna Neely, President of FirstCare Medical Plan. "It is encouraging to see an increasing number of students from Grand Bahama and other islands in our nation participate in the essay contest. This year we had a special competition for the school that submitted the most essays and Bishop Michael Eldon School in Grand Bahama won."

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