Students and teachers of the Pelican Gate School at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park yesterday, November 16, 2012. Photo: VINO

Principal of the Pelican Gate School Ms Lois Freeman-Augustine said the parade was about getting the kids to understand about the past so that they can move forward in the future. Photo: VINO team of reporters

The parade culminated in a cultural ceremony at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park and featured a number of other primary school students, teachers and education officials. The proceedings were chaired by Director of Culture Ms Luce Hodge-Smith.
 
The activities signalled the winding up of Culture Week that was observed by schools across the Virgin Islands (VI).
 
Principal of Pelican Gate, Ms Lois Freeman-Augustine said, “The parade [yesterday] was a cultural march where pretty much all of the schools were taking part.”

Some of the other schools that took part were Willard Wheatley Primary, Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Center, Ebenezer Thomas Primary, Ivan Dawson Primary, Althea Scatliffe Primary, Enid Scatliffe Pre-primary and Enis Adams Primary.
 
She added, “Pelican Gate is very happy to take part, we’re a very small school located in Romney Park, West End and we like to celebrate culture as much as we can.”
 
The school’s contingent comprised of ten Class 3 students decked in brightly coloured red and blue uniforms carrying posters that featured various elements being celebrated during Culture Week at the school.
 
Before the start of the parade, the students were part of a tour of the Sugar Works museum located obliquely opposite the Althea Scatliffe Primary School where they learned about its cultural history and were also given a history of the surrounding area.
 
The Principal revealed that the cultural showcase for the school yesterday featured a Moko Jumbie dancer and also related that kids walked with sugar cakes that were made [on Thursday] as part of the Culture Day activities at the school.
 
She also said, “It’s about getting the kids to understand about the past so that they can move forward in the future which is really what the theme is about… I think it was a great initiative today.”
 
While they were at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park, the children also took part in singing of the Territorial song, which she expressed helped to instil national pride in them.