MANGROVE CAY, Andros, The Bahamas -- Mangrove Cay High School students performing in the Choral Verse Speaking of the E Clement Bethel National Arts Festival adjudications scored big in Andros on April 14, 2010.

The students scored a 98 out of 100, one of the highest received so far this year in that dramatic class.

School Principal Anna Clarke Rolle said she was very proud of the students’ performance in front of Drama Adjudicator and Bahamian cultural icon, James Catalyn.  She was glad that the hard work they put into it paid off.

“I always knew that the students here at the Mangrove Cay High School have a lot of potential,” she said.  “Sometimes we do not get the opportunity to display or refine what we have here.”

Seventh-grader Fremeeka King said she was happy that her school did well and enjoyed her individual part most of all.

“I enjoyed being able to say it loud and doing it myself,” she said.  “I cannot wait to tell my family how well we did.  I will feel happy and proud.”

“I feel good because we did our performance well and the judge gave us a great score,” added Christian Miller.

Kayvohan Gibson said it made him feel special and excited.  

“I will feel awesome when I tell my parents after school,” he said.  “They will be so proud of me and how we did.”

Kayvohan also commended his teacher, Norma Semple, on the amount of practicing they did for their performance.

“We trained a lot,” he said.  “She taught us how to lead out, come in, how to stand up in our lines, and other wonder stuff.”

Ms Semple said she was happy for the students she trained and knew that they had it in them to do so well.

“They surprised me because all of the trouble and the worry that I had with them, rehearsing,” she joked.  “This is their payment to me.  They had to pay me this way.  I am so pleased and proud of them.”

Organising Secretary of the Festival, Keva Cartwright commended Ms Semple and the students on how well they did and the level of discipline they showed in their performance.

“I think you do have a lot to be proud of,” Ms Cartwright said.  “It is going to be very hard for them to be beaten in that class and I think that you might have a National Winner in this group.

“Excellent.  From the minute they walked on, you could tell they were disciplined, and that is important.  All of it is a part of the performance, as Mr Catalyn said.”

Principal Rolle added that she was pleased the Festival adjudicators came to her school to listen to her students.  She also stressed the importance of cultural expression has in student education.

“It is a part of the whole system,” Ms Rolle said.  “Without culture, the other part of it would be off balance; so I think that the culture blends in with everything else that they do.”