New Providence school students raise their voices in song, as they perform in the E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival Adjudications, held on April 23, 2024, at Christ Community Church on Bellot Road.  The New Providence adjudications will take place until May 3, 2024. 

The Rotary Club of South Ocean extended an invitation for Mrs. Ann Marie Davis of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister to join them for planting of Breadfruit Trees at Anatol Rodgers High School, April 15, 2024 in observation of Rotary International's celebration of the Environment during the month of April. 

Mrs. Davis, pictured giving an address of the school assembly, has herself advocated environmental sustainability and food self-sufficiency by conducting Breadfruit Tree planting at schools in The Bahamas, extolling the benefits of the Breadfruit plant. 

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture 2024 E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival got off to a melodious start in Grand Bahama on April 8 at the Belinda Wilson Convention Centre.

The annual platform allows students and members of the public from throughout the country to showcase their talents in music, drama, dance and visual artform in national competition.

A team of nine Ministry officials are on island to adjudicate the performances from 30 private and public schools, which includes bands in pop, jazz, rake ‘n’ scrape and junkanoo, over the two-week period.

The music division encompasses choral singing, solos in female and male voices, gospel, Bahamian, pop, rhythm and blues, jazz, theatre, Broadway, folk, rap and acappella songs.

In the Dance division, the entries range from classical ballet, to Bahamian folk, international folk, modern, jazz, liturgical, choreographed dance, drama to popular dance.

The drama segment of the festival has entries from first graders, all the way to high school in individual and choral verse speaking, dramatized characterization, storytelling, origination poetry, spoken word to skits.

Additional categories include triple threat, a compilation of music, dance and drama, as well as woodwinds, brass, keyboard, recorder, drumming, DJ sampling and photography.

The festival also has an open category in which members from the community from aged two to adult can enter and compete.

A number adults from the community have entered this year’s competition in the music and visual art divisions.

The E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival is being held in Grand Bahama through April 19, 2024.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture 2024 E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival got off to a melodious start in Grand Bahama on April 8 at the Belinda Wilson Convention Centre. The annual platform allows students and members of the public from throughout the country to showcase their talents in music, drama, dance and visual artform in national competition. A team of nine Ministry officials are on island to adjudicate the performances from 30 private and public schools, which includes bands in pop, jazz, rake ‘n’ scrape and junkanoo, over the two-week period. The music division encompasses choral singing, solos in female and male voices, gospel, Bahamian, pop, rhythm and blues, jazz, theatre, Broadway, folk, rap and acappella songs. In the Dance division, the entries range from classical ballet, to Bahamian folk, international folk, modern, jazz, liturgical, choreographed dance, drama to popular dance. The drama segment of the festival has entries from first graders, all the way to high school in individual and choral verse speaking, dramatized characterization, storytelling, origination poetry, spoken word to skits. Additional categories include triple threat, a compilation of music, dance and drama, as well as woodwinds, brass, keyboard, recorder, drumming, DJ sampling and photography. The festival also has an open category in which members from the community from aged two to adult can enter and compete. A number adults from the community have entered this year’s competition in the music and visual art divisions. The E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival is being held in Grand Bahama through April 19, 2024.

St. Nicholas University School of Veterinary Medicine (SNU) is implementing a targeted initiative to increase diversity within the veterinary profession in the Caribbean, focusing on attracting and supporting students from the Caricom region. This effort addresses a documented and drastic lack of diversity in the regional field, where Caribbean, Black, and Minority individuals – often from lower-income communities - are significantly under-represented. This under-representation can limit access to veterinary care for diverse communities.

SNU has established several programs to address this disparity. Their Veterinary MedicineScholarship Program offers financial assistance specifically to Caricom students with academicmerit and a demonstrated commitment to serving under-served communities.

Additionally, the university's Mentorship Program pairs incoming Caribbean students withexperienced Caribbean faculty members, providing them with guidance and support throughouttheir academic journey. These programs are resonating with students from under-representedbackgrounds. An Aboriginal/Black student from the USA, Will B., exemplifies this. "Aftergraduating from SNU I plan on returning to the U.S and starting an outreach program in an effortto show under-represented groups in my community that becoming a veterinarian is possiblewith universities like SNU, no matter how unlikely it may seem in their world" – he explains.

SNU's commitment extends to faculty recruitment. The university actively seeks to recruit andretain Caribbean faculty members, creating a learning environment that reflects the real world ofveterinary medicine.

This dedication to diversity has garnered international recognition. Recently, a delegation fromthe Jamaica Veterinary Board (JVB) visited SNU in Dominica to assess the program. “I see anemerging university that is propelling change for our region. We are impressed by SNU's focus oninclusion, and that is the message that will be taken back to our board and to the Government ofJamaica” said Dr. Mattocks, a JVB representative. This assessment will help simplify St. NicholasUniversity graduates register as veterinary professionals back home.

"We are working to increase the number of veterinarians willing to serve in under-servedcommunities," says Dr. Naderkhani, President of St. Nicholas University. "We also emphasizeadditional qualities in our future veterinarians, such as compassion for animals. This, in turn, cancontribute to improved veterinary care quality in various low-income communities."

Despite ongoing efforts, SNU acknowledges the persistent challenges regarding diversity andinclusion within the veterinary profession. Systemic barriers, such as limited access toeducational resources and financial constraints, can disproportionately impact students frommany Caribbean backgrounds. The university recognizes the need for collaborative efforts toaddress these issues and works with external organizations to dismantle these barriers.

St. Nicholas University believes that a diverse and inclusive veterinary profession is essential toproviding exceptional care for all animals and their companions. Through its commitment toattracting and supporting Caricom students, fostering a diverse faculty, and partnering withrelevant organizations, the university strives to be a leader in promoting positive change withinthe field.

With the application period for the September 2024 class now open, St. Nicholas Universityinvites passionate Caricom students to explore their veterinary dreams. To apply, visitwww.snu.vet.

St. Nicholas University School of Veterinary Medicine (SNU) is implementing a targeted initiative to increase diversity within the veterinary profession in the Caribbean, focusing on attracting and supporting students from the Caricom region. This effort addresses a documented and drastic lack of diversity in the regional field, where Caribbean, Black, and Minority individuals – often from lower-income communities - are significantly under-represented. This under-representation can limit access to veterinary care for diverse communities. SNU has established several programs to address this disparity. Their Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Program offers financial assistance specifically to Caricom students with academic merit and a demonstrated commitment to serving under-served communities. Additionally, the university's Mentorship Program pairs incoming Caribbean students with experienced Caribbean faculty members, providing them with guidance and support throughout their academic journey. These programs are resonating with students from under-represented backgrounds. An Aboriginal/Black student from the USA, Will B., exemplifies this. "After graduating from SNU I plan on returning to the U.S and starting an outreach program in an effort to show under-represented groups in my community that becoming a veterinarian is possible with universities like SNU, no matter how unlikely it may seem in their world" – he explains. SNU's commitment extends to faculty recruitment. The university actively seeks to recruit and retain Caribbean faculty members, creating a learning environment that reflects the real world of veterinary medicine. This dedication to diversity has garnered international recognition. Recently, a delegation from the Jamaica Veterinary Board (JVB) visited SNU in Dominica to assess the program. “I see an emerging university that is propelling change for our region. We are impressed by SNU's focus on inclusion, and that is the message that will be taken back to our board and to the Government of Jamaica” said Dr. Mattocks, a JVB representative. This assessment will help simplify St. Nicholas University graduates register as veterinary professionals back home. "We are working to increase the number of veterinarians willing to serve in under-served communities," says Dr. Naderkhani, President of St. Nicholas University. "We also emphasize additional qualities in our future veterinarians, such as compassion for animals. This, in turn, can contribute to improved veterinary care quality in various low-income communities." Despite ongoing efforts, SNU acknowledges the persistent challenges regarding diversity and inclusion within the veterinary profession. Systemic barriers, such as limited access to educational resources and financial constraints, can disproportionately impact students from many Caribbean backgrounds. The university recognizes the need for collaborative efforts to address these issues and works with external organizations to dismantle these barriers. St. Nicholas University believes that a diverse and inclusive veterinary profession is essential to providing exceptional care for all animals and their companions. Through its commitment to attracting and supporting Caricom students, fostering a diverse faculty, and partnering with relevant organizations, the university strives to be a leader in promoting positive change within the field. With the application period for the September 2024 class now open, St. Nicholas University invites passionate Caricom students to explore their veterinary dreams. To apply, visit www.snu.vet.