Students who competed in the recent Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes (L2L) convention in Orlando display their award haul.
It was a 30-award haul for this year's Bahamian squad at the recent Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes (L2L) convention which provides an avenue for students who have practiced and trained all year to show their developing biblical skills and talents. The third grade through 12th grade students competed in 13 programs at the recent Orlando convention.
And in the final analysis, Sharnell Cocious, a seventh grade student at S.C. McPherson took home second place in the individual debater; second speech for seventh grade; second highest score in the Pearls exam and a first place in the Bible Bowl exam resulting in her attaining the William Miller Award and a financial scholarship to attend the 2017 Orlando convention.
"We are all quite proud of the students and their continued stellar performances not just at the international convention but also in the local competitions which are done in [New Providence] prior to the contingent travelling to the United States " said Director Rochelle Newbold.
In the speech category, first place positions were achieved by 12th grade R.M. Bailey student Ricarla Bonimy and eighth grade St. John's College student Madison Ingraham.
Queen's College students Chrisselle Curry and Rhan Miller, and home-schooled Theophilus Weir were awarded second-place positions in the third grade category.
The third place trophy went to eighth grade student Riya Miller from Queen's College.
In addition to her speech win, Ingraham came away with a third place showing in the song category.
C.V. Bethel 10th grade student Alexandria Armbrister, and Miller took second place in the team competition. Armbrister also took second place in the individual category.
The students also did well in their examinations which are required as part of the convention participation. The highest Pearls scores were awarded to grades three through six participants Shiann Roker (Gateway Christian Academy, Bimini) and Curry, with grades seven to 12 honors falling to Miller, Armbrister and Bonimy.
The Bible Bowl team consisting of third through sixth grade students, Neveah Pitter, Andrew Styles and Nyles Pitter (Grand Bahama), along with Theophilus Weir Jr., Miller, Curry and Roker placed as finalists among the 55 teams.
In its 10th year of operation in The Bahamas, the Highbury Park Church of Christ L2L program's main objective is developing leadership qualities within Bahamian youth through the gospel. The L2L program is open to all youths in grades three through 12.
Every year from September to March, students meet each Friday night at the church's building located on Petersfield Road in Highbury Park from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to work on art projects, song-leading skills, speeches, debate, Bible Bowl and engage in Bible discussions centered on a single theme selected each year for the convention. This year the theme was "Where your heart is there your treasure is also," based on the New Testament Book of Matthew.
Verlie Poitier, Ashton Smith, Margaret Woodside, Gwendolyn Sealy, Chris Curry, Lynette Albury, Vashti Woodside and Sean Miller, comprise the teaching team with volunteers Dorothy Been, Shirl Roker and Claire Edwards.
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