A love story - that is what started last week when children from the UK Formula Kart Stars met children and students from Bahamian schools. They made a genuine and touching connection with each other. A total of seven schools were visited: Government High, Albury Sayles, St. Andrew's, Summit Academy, Doris Johnson, H.O. Nash and R.M. Bailey. Other schools were invited but could not commit because of exams.
The idea for visiting the schools came from David McLaughlin, chairman of Bahamas Speed Week Revival, a strong advocate of pairing education and fun and helping in community efforts which he does in the UK. He said: "As a racing driver and promoter of racing events both in the UK and internationally, I can see how young people can be given a sense of purpose from a very early age if they are enthused by a sport.
It seems to me that in The Bahamas there is a great need for something that will excite the children and get them involved - and these race karts seem to be it." McLaughlin, the Kart Project manager; Victoria Sarne; Carolynn Hoy and her team who head up the UK Formula Kart Stars School and the teachers had certainly expected it to be a friendly, interesting and educational experience for both sides, and it was. What they hadn't anticipated was the stratospheric level of excitement and the genuine warmth from the Bahamian children, and the generous interaction of the British contingent.
The Brits brought gifts, DVDs, books on kart racing and memorabilia, and the students returned the favor with hand made posters, lunch and gifts in return. Autographs were eagerly sought from both sides and some of the racing helmets are now adorned with their admirers' names. Of course the highlight was a kart demonstration with the drivers in full racing kit which had everyone on their toes straining to see or jumping up and down and wishing they could be the driver. Some lucky ones at least got to sit in the kart and have their photos taken.
Quite a bit of interest was expressed between the British children and their parents, the group leaders and the children in carrying this friendship into the future and promises were made to keep the connection open and twin their schools. It wasn't just about the fun because the Formula Kart Stars is for children from eight years old and up, who genuinely aspire to be race drivers and this is their training ground whilst still keeping up with school. Not all will succeed but there are many other opportunities to participate in the motor industry.
Mechanics, draftsmen and engineers are all necessary and it is an untapped field in the Caribbean both as a job creation program and as a major sporting attraction for tourism. Victoria Sarne said she was astonished when the Kart team returned at the end of a long and very hot day to tell her that when she watched the video they had taken, she would probably cry as they, grown men, had almost come to tears at the incredibly warm reception given to them.
The parents and team leaders were sincerely emotional about the welcome they received in the schools - and the young Kart Stars were almost overwhelmed and said they were made to really feel like rock stars. Mclaughlin also remarked that he felt this was a program and a relationship that he and the Formula Kart Stars team wanted to take into the future. What better way to inspire students and young people than by offering them the opportunity to get involved in some way with the most watched sport worldwide and somehow be part of the excitement and the challenge.
He, Victoria Sarne and Carolynn Hoy met with Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Danny Johnson; Calvin Balfour and Senator Greg Burrows, and all are enthusiastic about working together and making this program happen in short order. McLaughlin said he felt very positive about the sincerity of the government in moving ahead as quickly as possible to institute this program. They say, "out of the mouths of children" and one British boy said he had never felt so much warmth and friendship from an entire school of children in a completely different culture whom he had never met before.
They started out as strangers but in a few seconds literally they were all friends. "There's a lesson there for all of us perhaps getting along and working together isn't so hard after all if we learn from our young children. We can nurture and cherish the unprejudiced honesty between children no matter where they come from, what color they are, or their social standing when there is something that is mutually interesting or inspiring. No artificial barriers then nor prejudice - just open hearts and it seems both Bahamian and British children are good at that. Time to start the engines!"
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