Written by Azaleta Ishmael-Newry and TWCF
Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF) launched this year’s Bahamas Laws of Life Essay Competition with a focus on the impact of Hurricane Dorian, along with a new logo and website. At www.bahamaslawsoflife.org, students, teachers and parents can easily find resources related to the 2020 Bahamas Laws Of Life Essay Competition with submission due January 25, 2020. This competition is one of the largest in The Bahamas and offers national recognition and financial prizes, in addition to the opportunity to build creative writing skills. The much anticipated award ceremony is slated for June 11, 2020.
Open to students across The Bahamas in grades 5 to 12 and for college students age 25 and under, there are 5 divisions: Primary, Junior, Senior, College and a video division.
This year’s competition topics are centered around students’ experiences with “Hurricane Dorian” - the Category 5 storm that made landfall in the Northern Bahamas on September 1, 2019.
Hurricane Dorian has been categorized as the strongest storm on record to hit The Bahamas, leaving widespread destruction and loss of life on the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama.
“Misfortunes can be blessings” is the overarching law for this year’s competition and students are encouraged to draw on their knowledge and experiences related to Hurricane Dorian as they reflect on this law and write their essays. In doing so, the competition is seeking to promote empathy, thoughtfulness, tolerance, and charity in our students and promote the reinforcement of these ideals.
Now in its 13th year, The Bahamas competition is a public-private collaboration between the TWCF and the Ministry of Education. Wenley Fowley, Assistant Director of Education, Ministry of Education said that the competition has exceeded all expectations. “It is a known truth that in The Bahamas, creative writing or student writing has been always been a sustained challenge. And so, this partnership in respect to Laws Of Life and the essay writing competition is indeed a God- send.”
Liesl Wright, supervisor of the Writing Unit stated that the judges are looking for originality, personal examples drawn from their experience, as well as a discussion of how they would use the law in their life.
President of the Templeton World Charity Foundation, Dr. Andrew Serazin, asked the teachers and principals to encourage students to apply, and to write essays that reflect on what is important to them. He expressed that the Bahamas Laws of Life Essay Competition is one of his favourite events among the more than 250 projects the foundation supports around the world.
Standing in the front row from left to right are: Leisl Wright, Lisa Adderley-Paul, Bahamas Baptist Community College and Gillian Wilson, principal, Summit Academy. In the back row from left to right are: Denise Farquharson, Woodcock Primary School, Sheniqua Curry, l T.G. Glover P.D.R. School and Eloise Whyms, Government High School.
Dr. Andrew Serazin, president of the Templeton World Charity Foundation (left) discussed the Bahamas Laws of Life Essay competition with Kizzie McPhee, head of department, Language Arts, C.H. Reeves school (middle) and Mrs. Elma Garraway.
R.M. Bailey Senior High School Students attended the launch of the 2020 Bahamas Laws of Life Essay Competition by the Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF) and the Ministry of Education. From left to right are: Natalea Bain, deputy head girl and Ashanti Carroll, prefect captain of R.M. Bailey Senior High School, Dr Andrew Serazin, president TWCF and Kristin Eldon-Whylly, TWCF Program Associate.
Bahamas Laws of Life Essay Competition Committee members pose with the new visual branding (new logo) In the photo from left to right are: (Sitting) Mrs. Elma Garraway, Liesl Wright, Standing are: (L-R) Ramona Davis-Wells, Dr. Sharmane Miller, and Dr. Tracey Farquharson. (Missing is Mrs. Mena Griffiths)
Bahamas Laws of Life Essay Competition new logo
Photo by Azaleta Ishmael-Newry.
