The Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) recently hosted a one-day workshop under the theme, "Exposing Marine Pollution."

Thirty students from senior high schools in New Providence gathered at Delaporte Beach on West Bay Street where they participated in hands-on activities and learned more about marine conservation.

The Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) event inspired students to gain knowledge through discussions with environmental and media professionals, who gave presentations on how to tell a story using photos, video, and writing.

Environmental Scientist Dr. Ancilleno Davis, Photographer Dominic Duncombe, Journalist Crystal Darling, and Videographer Ryan Farquharson engaged students throughout the day with presentations aimed at strengthening and developing their marine environmental reporting skills.

C.R. Walker student, Santino Miller said he was inspired by the event, explaining that his heart is set on working in the field as a geologist someday.

"We learned that there are many different things that you can do in order to help with marine conservation ... simply by not littering you can help a lot and I will explain this to my peers when I go to school," said Miller.

"We learned the different ways to properly frame and take a photo," said Iyah-Eden Rolle. "We also did a beach cleanup which made me realize how much trash in our environment that we have to make an effort to properly clean."

Kendea Smith, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources public relations official outlined the importance of storytelling with students.

"At the ministry it is my departments' job to tell a story of what the ministry is doing to improve the community, so, BREEF was a perfect partner, giving us the opportunity to talk to the kids today about conservation, especially coral conservation. It's a big part of what we do, we tell stories almost every day," said Smith.

Environmental education is essential, according to BREEF Executive Director Casuarina McKinney-Lambert who noted that as an archipelagic nation, The Bahamas is greatly affected by what happens in its waters.

"The Young Reporters for the Environment program challenges young people to look at the ocean and the land around them, identify challenges and also think about solutions and think about effective ways of communicating about what's going on in the ocean around us," said McKinney-Lambert.

BREEF is the national operator for the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) program in The Bahamas. The global program aims to empower students aged 11 to 25 to take a stand on environmental issues they feel strongly about and give them a platform to call attention to the issues through the media of writing, photography, or video. There are more than 350,000 young reporters in 45 countries across the world.

Dear Editor,

The Tribune reported on March 15 that one of the students of the Bimini Primary School who was "violently" spanked by a police officer is too traumatized to go back to school.

The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training should immediately put an end to corporal punishment.

The Bahamian government does not even administer corporal punishment on serial rapists and serial murderers, yet has no qualms using violence on unruly children.

The powers that be need to make it make sense.

Furthermore, many of these public school educators who are parents themselves, most notably those in Grand Bahama and New Providence, do not enrol their own children in the public school system.

Even they don't trust the system they're a part of.

Does anyone believe for one nanosecond that an educator will call a burly police officer to beat their own unruly children?

Obviously they have no issue doing so for the children of other parents.

The psychological, emotional and physical scars of what allegedly transpired is not the concern of the Bimini Primary School officials, judging by their cavalier response to one of the parents.

Spanking should be left to the parents, not to educators who are not emotionally invested in their students or police officers who might be upset about their marital issues at home or the situation on the job.

Under these circumstances, these individuals would seem more than willing to use violence on little strangers as a way to vent.

Hence, the importance of ending corporal punishment in the schools.

- Kevin Evans

The design of three new Family Island schools is underway. 

The Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Works and Utilities announced plans for the schools in his mid-year budget presentation to Parliament as he outlined progress on programs and projects of his Ministry, March 2, 2023.

A new and modernized high school in San Salvador, a comprehensive high school in Inagua and a new school in East End, Grand Bahama, are set for construction.

“Works on all three projects are progressing rapidly. The funding for these projects will be placed in the Ministry of Education’s Capital Budget,” said Minister Sears.

Classrooms, workshops, lunch pavilion/hurricane shelter, an administration wing, resource center, and recreation facilities are among the features of the design for San Salvador High School.

Minister Sears said the plans for Inagua Comprehensive High School are being revised to fit the school’s population of 145 students to a approximately 200 students. 

 

The design of three new Family Island schools is underway.   The Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Works and Utilities announced plans for the schools in his mid-year budget presentation to Parliament as he outlined progress on programs and projects of his Ministry, March 2, 2023.   A new and modernized high school in San Salvador, a comprehensive high school in Inagua and a new school in East End, Grand Bahama, are set for construction.   “Works on all three projects are progressing rapidly. The funding for these projects will be placed in the Ministry of Education’s Capital Budget,” said Minister Sears. Classrooms, workshops, lunch pavilion/hurricane shelter, an administration wing, resource center, and recreation facilities are among the features of the design for San Salvador High School. Minister Sears said the plans for Inagua Comprehensive High School are being revised to fit the school’s population of 145 students to a approximately 200 students. 

Leadership is not static – it is a dynamic attribute that requires one to constantly reinvent themselves and evolve to adequately contend with the demands an ever-changing world. The qualities that define a leader today may not necessarily define the leaders of tomorrow, was a message recently delivered to students at the University of The Bahamas (UB).

LaSonya Missick, RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) managing director and vice president of personal banking and RBC FINCO, lectured UB students on the topic, "The Changing Environment for Entrepreneurs in Today's World" as part of the Emerging Leaders Distinguished Lecture Series, a joint initiative between the University and RBC.

Missick spoke to UB students through examples of the various models of entrepreneurship employed by some of the most successful tycoons, and provided key pointers on how to be effective leaders in the workplace.

"As a leader, you have to be goal-oriented and desire results," said Missick. "I can tell you I've met a lot of good talkers in my recruitment days, and I want to encourage all of you not to be that only. Because after the talking comes the absolute need for the execution, or you will get nowhere. You will be round and round like a hamster on a wheel with your career.

"So, it's very important to understand that when you have that goal and you know where you want to go, you're going to have to be able to push towards that. The other way of saying that is you have to really be results-focused as well."

Missick delivered an interactive lecture, engaging directly with the students and allowing them to contribute to the discussion with their various opinions during her presentation at the RBC Auditorium at the Franklyn Wilson Graduate Centre.

A key part of her presentation focused on the need for current and future leaders to harness and develop professional versatility – especially those in the entrepreneurial world – which would allow them and their leadership styles to remain viable and relevant in a global corporate environment that is constantly changing.

"So, you may see me here or you're here in the present, but when you're in a leadership role or in the corporate world, we're talking about what's happening in 2028 or 2030, and that's because you have to be one step ahead in order to remain relevant," said Missick.

UB students were not the only ones treated to Missick's timely and informative lecture. Dr. Erik Rolland, UB president; Dino Hernandez, vice president and institutional advancement and alumni affairs; Kandice Eldon, executive director of corporate and foundation relations were also the recipient of Missick's words of wisdom.

Eldon thanked Missick and RBC, by extension, for contributing to the development of tomorrow's leaders in such a tangible way.

"RBC is one of UB's longstanding and dedicated partners committed to the advancement of national development by investing in education," said Eldon. "We are delighted to collaborate with the bank for the RBC Lecture Series, and grateful for Mrs. Missick who is such a dynamic speaker. Her presentation, 'The Changing Environment for Entrepreneurs in Today's World,' was timely and inspiring. We look forward to more events where the bank's subject matter experts can impart their wisdom to our students and wider UB community."

Ashley Knowles, director, Greek life and student leadership, division of student affairs, said the RBC Emerging Leaders Lecture Series is a significant program within the department of Greek life and student leadership, as it imparts knowledge to university students, which in turn provides them with personal and professional development.

"As our students traverse their academic careers, we will continue to support them in ways that will set them up for professional and personal success once they have graduated," said Knowles. "We are very grateful that RBC Bahamas is committed to this endeavor and we look forward to our continued relationship."