Nine Grenadians graduate from Midwestern

WICHITA FALLS, Texas, May 15, 2012 - Nine Grenadian students earned degrees at Midwestern State University’s May 2012 Commencement exercises last Saturday. The six were part of a group of 30 Caribbean students who also walked the stage.

The ceremonial weekend also featured a concert by Jamaican singer Wayne Wonder and Claudette Peters of Antigua who wowed the crowd of over 400.  St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador, Jacinth Henry-Martin was also on hand.

Nefer McIntyre earned a Master of Education in Special Education.  She earned a baccalaureate degree from Midwestern three years earlier.

Natasha Sutherland earned magna cum laude honours and a Bachelor of Social Work and Political Science.

Nikita Jack earned magna cum laude honours with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance.

Sherie Don Noel earned cum laude honours and a Bachelor of Education in Special Education.

Frank Alexander earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance; Alice Lindy Alexander earned a Bachelor of Social Work; Dwayne Alleyne earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering; Clynt George earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics; Shonna Harris earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Karlene Rogers earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

Keynote speaker, Jacinth Henry-Martin, St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador to the US, urged the graduates to hold on to dreams and believe in miracles. She delivered a positive charge to them to be true to themselves, much to the delight of the attending crowd of over 400 parents, fellow students and well-wishers.

Over 160 Grenadian students have earned degrees from Midwestern since 1995 and 55 students are currently enrolled, making it the largest contingent from the Caribbean.  Twelve new students from Grenada will be accepted to Midwestern State University in August 2012, and will be part of the over 1,000 who have been recruited in the 19-year history of the programme. The Government of Grenada provides support to the programme.

SOURCE: Midwestern University

Government fulfills major commitment to Grenadian students

ST. GEORGE’S, APRIL 2, 2012 - A major commitment by Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas to the people of St. Patrick and Carriacou will be fulfilled on Wednesday 4^th April, 2012, when the T. A. Marryshow Community College launches its video conference facility to three campus locations.

The new facility is a contribution by the board of the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) to the government and people of Grenada that will propel in a new era of how education is delivered to TAMCC students living in St. Patrick and Grenada. This network will allow students at the St. Patrick and Carriacou Campuses of the TAMCC to participate in classes and interact with teachers at the Tanteen Campus of the College in real time.

The Prime Minister said that the video conference facility is a very important development for the people of northern Grenada and Carriacou, “because it means that they will save on transport and other expenses they would have to undertake if they had to commute every day. This is especially important for the parents and young people of Carriacou and Petite Martinique,” the Prime Minister said.

The funding for this project, worth EC$393,228, is provided by the European Union as part of the Euro10.00 million grant to the Caribbean for developing a regional network called C@ribNET, connecting all CARICOM member States.

The development is a culmination of a consistent campaign by the Prime Minister and his administration to utilize Information Communication Technology (ICT) to provide education and other government services to the Grenadian public “wherever they live”.

“I am excited that this project has finally come on stream and I look forward to the expansion of services offered by the TAMCC at the Sauteur’s and Hillsborough locations,” the Prime Minister said Friday.

The launch programme will utilize the technology with audiences, including the Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Sen. Franka Alexis-Bernardine in St. Patrick, while the Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, Sen. George Prime will be in Hillsborough.

“This contribution of the connectivity and the provision of the equipment for this video conferencing service to Grenada is quite appropriate”, said Mr. Ken Sylvester, CEO of CKLN, as the CKLN is headquartered in St. Georges and has benefited from the hospitality and support of the Grenada government.

SOURCE: Office of the Prime Minister

Sharing a love of books

by Brenda Webb

The Marlborough Express

It’s Saturday morning on the lush Caribbean island of Grenada and there's a steady stream of children heading for a hurricane-proof hall in the tranquil mountain village of Mt Airy.

Elsewhere around the world similar aged children are probably meeting at malls, planning trips to the movies or thinking about McDonald's (there isn't one on Grenada, thank goodness).

This bright and eager faced lot of 5- to 16-year-olds are gathering, completely of their own accord and in their precious weekend time, to improve their literacy skills at the Mt Airy Young Readers' Programme.

They come clutching tattered and dog-eared books – eager to read them under the eyes of a voluntary group of cruising sailors with varied backgrounds.

There's definitely a teacher or two in our bunch (they're the organised ones) and a handful like us, full of enthusiasm with limited skills and resources but delighted to put something back into the local community.

We often feel sad that many of the children we see in our travels don't have the educational opportunities our own children had, which in New Zealand we take for granted. So we're happy to give up a Saturday morning in the hope of improving these young Grenadians' future.

The literacy rate on the island is 96 per cent, which sounds high, but a truer picture is probably gained by the fact that the average school leaving age here (including university) is 15 for males and 16 for females. In New Zealand the ages are 19 and 20 respectively.

There is a highly regarded university on the island – The University of St George's – but most of its students are from the United States and the United Kingdom.

For some students living in small and remote villages on Grenada, educational opportunities may be limited and this was recognised by programme founders Jeanne and Everest Chantal, who noticed children slipping between the cracks. The crunch came one day when Everest realised their cleaner couldn't read or write.

"We noticed because after dusting she would put books upside down," he says.

Determined to help, Everest began tutoring the woman and was delighted at her progress.

The project spurred him on and he began tutoring other interested locals in his home. Word got out and today up to 40 children walk, run, bike, or bus to the hall where classes are now held.

Cruising sailors visiting the island heard about the programme and now, every week, a busload of volunteers heads for the hills to spend four hours helping out.

As 10am approaches the solid concrete hall is unlocked, shutters opened and desks and chairs set out. Children are put into groups according to their age and ability and allocated to volunteers.

Resources are limited so luckily we've come armed with our trusty Atlas and a couple of books on New Zealand. The first surprise I have is what competent readers both my 11-year-old students are.

They have no trouble pronouncing New Zealand names and ask intelligent questions – "don't the sheep get cold once the wool is taken off?"

"How long will it take you to sail there?"

They've never seen herds of dairy cows, flocks of sheep, irrigation machines (it rains most days here) or snow and eagerly pump me for more information.

My young girl is astonished to see a photo of a helicopter mustering cattle on a high-country station – the only helicopter she's ever seen is one that brings the rich and famous to exclusive resorts in south Grenada.

David's 10-year-old boys are less skilled but equally eager to learn. They produce Dr Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham to read, which we feel is a bit below their age group, but they're interested in New Zealand and pore over the photographs in the book. A game of Scrabble keeps them focussed and tests David's knowledge of Rastafarian lingo. The session moves on to mass times tables and ends with a spelling bee in which all children get a chance to stand and spell a word.

Then there is a half-hour free time when drinks and sandwiches are handed out and the children mix with the cruisers.

"A lot of it is simply about learning how to interact with people from different cultures," a regular volunteer says. "Some of these children don't move very far from home so for them to come and mingle with cruisers from all around the world, hold conversations with them and read to them is a huge step for their confidence levels."

The day before we'd taken a trip around Grenada and were surprised at the apparent poverty. The popular anchorages in the south are surrounded by fabulous multimillion-dollar, fully staffed homes with views to die for but travel inland and many houses are tiny, ramshackle and crowded.

Unemployment runs at 12.5 per cent with most jobs in agriculture or tourism.

We'd have loved to have become regular volunteers at the programme but time is moving on and we need to get some more ocean miles under our belt before hurricane season arrives in the Caribbean. We're heading west towards more poor countries so hope there are more opportunities to help.

PHOTO: EAGER READERS: Ronal and Kevin pour over a photographic book of New Zealand with David Morgan at the Saturday morning Mt Airy Young Readers’ Programme. (Brenda Webb)

Joe "Country" Greenidge publishes book

NEW YORK, December 17, 2011 – Well-known Grenadian singer and composer, Joseph “Country” Greenidge has published his first book.

The 56-page book entitled Come On, Stupid, “Love Yourself” was launched at a ceremony in Brooklyn earlier this month.

Joe “Country” Greenidge is a uniquely gifted personality. He is known as a Country Gospel artist and musician. He has several recorded albums to his credit.

He was the first to take country music to, possibly, the most difficult audience ever, which as when he appeared on the popular New York City television programme: “It’s Showtime at the Apollo”, in Harlem, New York.

In the words of the show’s host, Steve Harvey, “I have never seen this one before; this is a momentous moment here. You may never see this one on the Apollo’s stage again. I have never heard of a countryman that came here before.”

Joe "Country" Greenidge autographs books at launch

Joe can also boast of having a very close relationship with Mr. Vernon Winfrey, the father of television talk show hostess, and celebrity, Oprah Winfrey. Mr Winfrey, a professional barber, and owner of his own shop was Joe’s barber during his residency in Nashville.

In November 2007, Joe had the privilege of taking Mr Winfrey and his wife Barbara, along with Mr Ray Stephenson, a country singer also from Nashville, to his homeland, Grenada.

Following that, another major highlight that garnered him more success, was when he was contacted in 2007 by the Jimmy Kimmel TV Show executives in Hollywood, California.

This invitation was for him to participate in the Jimmy Kimmel TV Show “Search for America’s Greatest Black Yoldeler.”

The book, which is being sold for US$10.00, has already received rave reviews.

“Come on, Stupid, “Love Yourself” is a poignant and thought-provoking dissertation whose undergirding theme is love of God, love of self and love of neigbour, in a balanced and harmonious manner,” wrote Dr Lamuel Stanislaus, retired Dentist and UN Diplomat .

“The author seeks to arouse those of us in the society, who by our belief and action, seem to have a propensity of not loving ourselves”.

“This book is delightful, concise, and colorful words of wisdom about life and loving yourself. A very enjoyable and thought provoking read,” said Ray Stephenson, Musician, Singer and Sculptor, Nashville, Tennessee.

Persons interested in purchasing copies of the Book, Come on, Stupid, “Love Yourself” can contact the author by email at comeonstupidloveyourself@live.com or by telephone at 718-773-4354.

Biography - Kirani James

The Grenada Boys' Secondary School's Alumni Association of New York award presented to World 400m Champion, Kirani James at its Alumni Scholarship Awards and Dinner Dance on Saturday December 10, 2011.

Kirani James is a graduate of the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School – Class of 2009. He was born on September 1, 1992 in the town of Gouyave, St John.

Kirani is a Grenadian sprinter who specialises in the 200 and 400 metres and is the reigning 400 metres world champion.

Prodigious from a young age, he ran the fastest 400m times ever by a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old.

He won a series of gold medals at the CARIFTA Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games and rose on the international stage with 400m silver medals at the 2007 World Youth and 2008 World Junior Championships. James became the first athlete to run a 200/400 double at the 2009 World Youth Championships and was the 2010 World Junior Champion.

He gained an athletic scholarship at the University of Alabama and won back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Championship titles in his first two years. James is the third fastest of all-time indoors (44.80 seconds) and ran a personal best of 44.36 at the 2011 IAAF Diamond League in Zürich.

At least ten colleges in the United States had expressed strong interest in recruiting James for their track team, including Baylor, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida State, and Arizona State. He accepted a scholarship offer from Alabama and in his first ever appearance on an indoor track he ran a 45.79 in the 400 metres, placing first and breaking the 10-year-old school record.

After the end of the college season, he made his professional debut at the London Grand Prix Diamond League meeting and established himself among the world's best with a personal best run of 44.61 seconds – a time which made him the fastest man that year.

At the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, both James and fellow Grenadian runner Rondell Bartholomew made the finals of the 400m event.

James won the event in a personal best of 44.60 seconds, becoming the youngest 400m world champion at the age of 18. The medal is the first for Grenada in any event at the outdoor version of the World Championships in Athletics. Nine days later,

James won the 400m at the 2011 IAAF Diamond League in Zürich with a new personal best of 44.36 seconds.

He has already qualified to represent Grenada at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics in Istanbul, Turkey, March 9-11, 2012 and the Games of the XXX Olympiad – London 2012.

Kirani is currently ranked 1st in the world in the Men’s 400 metres and has been credited with the Rising Star of the Year Award in Monaco last month and nominated for Male Athlete of the Year by the United States Sports Academy in association with NBC Sports and USA Today.

Biography - Dr Anthony Bridgeman

The Grenada Boys' Secondary School's Alumni Association of New York award presented to Dr Anthony Bridgeman at its Alumni Scholarship Awards and Dinner Dance on Saturday December 10, 2011.

Dr. Anthony D Bridgeman is a graduate of the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School - class of 1983. He was born in the village of Byelands, St. Andrew.  After graduating from the GBSS, he became a primary school teacher until he migrated to the United States in 1987.

In the United States, he attended Brooklyn College, Long Island University, and Hofstra University. He holds a bachelor degree in psychology, masters in counseling, education, and educational administration. He received his doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy Studies at Hofstra University in 2008.

His published dissertation is entitled Narrative Inquires in the Experiences of Black Male Students in the Ninth Grade. He has been sought out by many schools to speak at conferences and workshops addressing his findings in his study. He has presented at International Conferences in Hawaii, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, San Diego, and New Orleans. He also represented Hofstra University at many conferences, presenting his dissertation.

Dr. Bridgeman is currently the Principal of West Islip High School, the first Black principal in its history. He is highly respected by the school community and has received the 2010 Suffolk County Administrator of the year Award.

Dr. Bridgeman has held various positions, including teaching, counseling, and directing programmes, in the educational and counseling fields. He is an adjunct college professor at Hofstra University and MCNY. At Hofstra, he teaches educational leadership classes to teachers and other educators as well as in the doctoral programme.

Dr. Bridgeman is a proud Grenadian. He sells Grenada to his faculty and school community and since he has been at West Islip High School, every year at least ten teachers, parents, and students have visited Grenada.

Grenada’s Education Minister addresses Morocco issue

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, December 16, 2011 - The Following is a message from Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Senator Franka Bernadine regarding Grenadian students on Scholarship in Morocco:

As Minister for Education and Human Resource Development I would like to share the following information with the general public.

In 2010 the Government of Grenada secured twelve (12) scholarships for Grenadian students to study Undergraduate and Graduate Programmes in Morocco.

In 2011 fifteen (15) Grenadian students travelled to Morocco to commence their studies.  Therefore, Grenada has twenty seven (27) students presently studying in Morocco.

On 21^st November 2011, it was brought to our attention that one of the 2011 students was attacked by two (2) Moroccan men and robbed of her cell phone, while she was on her way to church of the 20^th November 2011.  The student sustained minor injuries and was obviously shaken up by the incident.  

The incident occurred very quickly and before the other Grenadian and Dominican students, who were also going to church, could come to her assistance the men ran off.  The student’s minor injuries were well taken care of immediately.

The incident was brought to the attention of the Moroccan Authorities, including the Consulate who is assigned to address any matter pertaining to our Grenadian students, and the necessary actions were taken.

The Permanent Secretary for the Human Resource Development Division and Scholarship Desk, who has monitored this situation and continues to be in contact with all concerned, spoke to and reassured the student in Morocco and her relatives in Grenada.

Prior to our students leaving Grenada for study abroad the Division executes a full week training programme which includes cultural adjustment, health and safety measures and dealing with emergency situations.

I want to assure the general public that the information circulating in some areas of Grenada, detailing that a Grenadian student in Morocco was severely chopped and injured during an attack, is false and tantamount to malicious rumor. Additionally, that the Government of Grenada offered the students scholarships and then abandoned them is far from the truth.

Our 2011 students had to await all the administrative transactions prior to starting their classes.  However, they have all commenced the French Language component of their studies, before progressing to their respective subject areas in 2012.

The Human Resource Development Division & Scholarship Desk has an established 24/07 communication network in place for all students studying abroad, should any level of communication be necessary.

Things may go wrong from time to time.  However, we MUST ascertain the facts before spreading information and avoid possible very negative impact and outcomes.

As we strive to further develop our human resources, to strengthen our individual citizens and our socio-economic development, I implore you Parents, Guardians and the General Public to work collaboratively with us to give our young people the critical and necessary support and understanding.

SOURCE: Wendy Chasteau - Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development

American University of Antigua to close Vet School after less than two years

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, December 16, 2011 — American University of Antigua’s (AUA) veterinary school, which opened its doors to its first class of veterinary students in January 2010, suspended all classes for 2012 and announced it would close the school at the end of the semester. 

AUA says in a December 15 statement about the closure that the university’s students already have been or will be transferring to St. George’s University Veterinary School in Grenada and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. 

The university did not say how many veterinary students will be affected by the closure, but the school stated in 2009 that its inaugural class in January 2010 would have approximately 30 students. 

Students who have submitted applications for upcoming terms may have their files forwarded directly to St. George’s for consideration, says AUA. Those who have already been accepted to AUA’s veterinary programme for future classes will receive a refund of their course fees. 

AUA says little else about the school’s closure, except that it made the decision to end the veterinary programme “after carefully considering the best interests of the school’s present and future students … While school officials note that situations might arise that would allow AUA to reopen, it is not under consideration currently.” 

AUA had a partnership in place with Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine to provide clinical training to its students. This arrangement provided for an exclusive partnership that would have allowed veterinary students to transfer directly to Virginia Tech and receive a degree from the U.S.-based institution. 

When the programme was announced, officials at Virginia Tech said they anticipated the transfer of five students by 2012.

SOURCE: DVM Magazine

Another good achievement from our Grenadian students!

TEXAS, December 16, 2011 - Grenadian students Emma Gay and Joel Donnell Thomas both earned masters’ degrees at Midwestern State University’s December 2011 Commencement exercises last Saturday.  They were part of a group of 20 Caribbean students who also walked the stage.

Gay earned a master of business administration degree.  She earned a baccalaureate in the same discipline 18 months ago.

Thomas earned a master of arts in human resource development.  He previously earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Spanish two years ago.

Over 150 Grenadian students have earned degrees from Midwestern since 1995 and fifty-five students are currently enrolled.

Two new students from Grenada will be accepted to Midwestern State University in January 2012, and twelve more will be accepted in August 2012.

They will be part of the over one thousand who have been recruited from the Caribbean in the 18-year history of the programme. The Government of Grenada provides support to the programme.

Grenada to assist Barbados in setting up of Drug Information Network

St. George’s Grenada, Tuesday November 1, 2011, MOEPRU –  Grenada has been chosen to provide technical assistance to the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA), Barbados, on the establishment of the Barbados Drug Information Network BARDIN.

This, coming out of a recent training workshop conducted by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS/CICAD), for BARDIN Stakeholders, at which Drug Control Officer Dave Alexander was a co-facilitator.

Alexander was invited by CICAD to co-facilitate the workshop, based on his experiences in the establishment of the Grenada Drug Information Network (GRENDIN), in 2002.  GRENDIN is being used by CICAD as a model for establishment of similar Networks in the Caribbean.

Officials from Government Institutions and NGO's involved in drug control initiatives, such as the Judiciary, Law Enforcement, Health, Education and Community Development in Barbados participated in the workshop. Two Officials from Trinidad and Tobago, and one from St. George’s University, also attended.

Mr. Francis Mc. Barnette, OAS Representative, Barbados, delivered remarks at the commencement of the workshop and in his remarks, complimented Grenada as having the best organized and most efficient drug information network in the Caribbean as well as its successful participation in the Multilateral Evaluation mechanism (MEM).

In his presentation, Alexander shared the ‘Grenada Experience’ regarding the establishment of the Grenada Drug Information Network (GRENDIN), its successes and challenges.  He also provided examples of information generated from Information Networks.

Alexander also assisted the four working groups established to formulate plans for the establishment of BARDIN, which focused on organization of participants by sector (Law enforcement, Prevention, Treatment, and Research), review of indicators by sector, development or review of data forms, development of a data collection and reporting plan and reports, publications and other outputs.

As a follow-up Alexander will now provide technical assistance toward the establishment of BARDIN.

SOURCE: Wendy Chasteau, Ministry of Education

Grenadian Schools to receive computers from Food For The Poor

NEW YORK, NY, Nov 01, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- ServerPronto, home to the world's most affordable dedicated server, has partnered with Food For The Poor to outfit schools in Jamaica, Haiti, Grenada, and Guyana with 100 computer workshop sets to accommodate 600 students at a time.

"ServerPronto is committed to serving the needs of financially disadvantaged youths around the world. In order to drive a competitive workforce in a high-tech, global economy, learning computer skills must be a priority for students," said Chris Kurzweg, Managing Director of Infolink Group, Inc., the parent company of ServerPronto.

For this project, Food For The Poor utilized Ncomputing X550 technology that allows sharing of one PC with up to six users. One of the benefits of using this system in developing countries is that it lowers electrical consumption requirements by 90 percent. Food For The Poor has an ambitious goal to distribute 40,000 computers in the Caribbean and Latin America.

By providing computer labs for schools and orphanages in developing countries, Food For The Poor's generous donors offer students a higher level of support. The children have the advantage of a full computer lab in their school/residence, along with individual instructors who teach the basics of computation as well as assist children with homework assignments and online research.

"Giving a child access to a computer changes their lives," said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. "In our quest to end poverty, education and technology might be our best tools. Imagine the world we open up for children when we can connect, through computers, to learning that has no boundaries."

The partnership between ServerPronto and Food For The Poor is part of an effort to foster computer literacy in these Caribbean and Latin American nations by giving students broader access to computers. Studies show that computers improve both teaching and student achievement. Many experts believe computer literacy should be taught as early as possible or students will be left behind. ServerPronto's initial deployment of workstations could allow as many as 1,800 students a day to develop the computer skills they will need to succeed in the future.

"Many schools are literally starved for funds to purchase new computers. ServerPronto is grateful for the opportunity to help," said Kurzweg. "Just as our customer base is global, our charitable efforts must also be global. This is the beginning of what we hope is a long term partnership with Food For The Poor."

ServerPronto currently has customers in 122 nations. ServerPronto is part of the 'Pronto family' of companies with MailPronto, ColoPronto and CloudPronto, which have been leading a low-cost revolution in the hosting industry since 2003. ServerPronto is breaking the price barrier for dedicated hosting in secured and reinforced Data Centers with redundant power, lightning fast fiber connections, and 24x7x365 support from a staff with more than 10 years of experience building and maintaining servers and computer networks. To learn more, visit http://www.serverpronto.com .

Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org .

Contract awarded for rehab of Vendome School

St. George’s, Grenada, November 1, 2011, MOEPRU – A contract has been awarded to F.A. Alexander and Associates Co. Limited for the rehabilitation of Vendome Roman Catholic School.

The contract amounts to Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-four dollars and Twenty-seven cents Eastern Caribbean Currency. (EC$707,884.27)

Vendome R.C. is one of four schools that will benefit under phase 2 of the Government of Grenada/Caribbean Development Bank’s Schools Rehabilitation and Expansion Project.

The other schools, for which contracts have not yet been awarded, are Grenville Secondary School, which will receive a new wing and refurbishment to the existing structure, Mt. Rose SDA Comprehensive, which will also receive a new wing, and refurbishments and St. Josephs Convent St. George, which will receive an administrative block.

Four schools have already been expanded and refurbished in phase 1 of the government of Grenada/Caribbean Development Bank’s Schools Rehabilitation and Expansion Project.  They are St. Mark’s Secondary, St. Andrew’s Anglican Secondary, Anglican High and the Crochu R.C. Schools.

A sod turning ceremony, to signal the start of work at Vendome R.C. will be held on a date to be announced.

SOURCE: Ministry of Education

Grenadian student named senior Duke at MSU

WICHITA FALLS, Texas, October 31, 2011 - Grenadian student, Frank D Alexander, was named senior Duke at Midwestern State University’s annual homecoming celebration. 

Mr. Alexander is a former employee of the Grenada Development Bank majoring in finance.  

He is also a member of the Financial Management Association and former treasurer of the Caribbean Students Association.  

Mr. Alexander was voted as the Homecoming Senior Duke for 2011 by fellow students. He is scheduled to graduate in May 2012.

Midwestern State University has had a very long history and tradition with its annual fall Homecoming celebrations.

The maroon and gold tradition continued this year with Homecoming 2011: The Greatest Game on Earth.

SGU of Veterinary Medicine Earns Full Accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, October 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —St. George’s University (SGU) School of Veterinary Medicine, Grenada, West Indies, announced that it has been granted full accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Council on Education (COE), the highest standard of achievement for veterinary medical education in the United States.

Dr. Charles Modica, St. George’s University Chancellor, in conjunction with Dr. Raymond F. Sis, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, and members of the SVM administration and faculty, announced news of the accreditation to the 500 veterinary students, 85 percent from the United States, who are currently enrolled at SGU.

“Students who join our veterinary program with its international educational experiences will now benefit from belonging to anAVMA-accredited institution,” Dr. Modica stated. “We are proud of Dr. Sis, and his dedicated faculty and staff on this historic achievement.”

Graduating with full accreditation status, SGU Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students may now qualify for licensure anywhere in the United States or Canada without first having to complete a foreign graduate examination. SGU is one of only 12 veterinary schools outside the US and Canada to be granted the AVMA accreditation.

Grenada to host "Wii Olympics" this weekend

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 04, 2011 - On Saturday, October 8th, students from St. George’s University (SGU) – School of Medicine will host the biannual Wii Olympics. United Wii Stand: Wii Olympics III is a collaborative effort organized by Urban Humanitarian Projects (UHP) and SGU’s Iota Epsilon Alpha – International Honours Society (IEA) to bring awareness and raise funds for a variety of humanitarian projects worldwide. This event will place student competitors selected from campus organizations against one another in a giant video game tournament.

The funds raised by Wii Olympics III will support three international projects focused to provide aide to communities in need. Donations will be made to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to support famine victims in Somalia through, inner city children in New York/New Jersey through UHP, and Grenada’s Mount Gay Psychiatric Hospital.

“We’re reaching out to every individual on campus by showing a promotional video that highlights the projects we are supporting,” said Christine Jaquish, who along with Jacqulin Cunningham, have been leading the UHP’s fundraising committee at SGU.

Urban Humanitarian Projects, an organization run by medical students, has chosen to donate a large percentage of the proceeds to MSF's work in Somalia. The country has been battling the worst famine in recent history and is desperately in need of additional aid. Over 12 million East Africans, including 3 million Somalis, are living in a state of despair and according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) over 750,000 are at risk of death in the next few months. MSF has worked continuously in Somalia since 1991 and currently provides free medical care in eight regions. UHP has requested MSF to allocate the funds donated from this project to benefit the clinics in Somalia.

Wii Olympics III will also support UHP’s Urban Santa Project (USP), which distributes Christmas gifts to children in underprivileged communities throughout New York. Each gift is personalized and hand delivered by Urban Santa and his team of volunteer elves on Christmas morning. USP embarked with 23 individualized gifts in 2009 to 300 in 2010. UHP hopes to reach over 1000 children on Christmas day 2011.

A percentage of the funds raised on Saturday will be used to procure basic necessities such as hygiene products, shoes, and bedding for Mt. Gay Psychiatric Hospital in Grenada. This 100 bed hospital serves the island of Grenada, Petit Martinique, and Carriacou. UHP hopes to donate products that will enhance the quality of life for the patients who are residing at the facility.

Over the past year, UHP and IEA organized two successful Wii Olympics events at SGU. With generous donations from students, faculty, and Grenadian businesses, a total of $68,400 was raised. In the fall of 2010, UHP donated $30,000 to MSF to support flood victims in Pakistan and in the spring of 2011, $28,400 was raised to purchase medical equipment for Grenada General Hospital. This amount includes a generous donation of $29,200 from Dr. Charles Modica, SGU’s Chancellor, who has matched all the funds raised through the Wii Olympics. The continued support of Dr. Modica and SGU has allowed UHP and IEA to touch the lives of thousands of individuals worldwide.

United Wii Stand from Urban Humanitarian Projects on Vimeo.

Grenada Scholarship Students arrive in China

BEIJING, China, September 2, 2011 - The Embassy of Grenada in Beijing on Thursday welcomed five new Grenadian students who will be pursuing studies in the People’s Republic of China.

Christopher Mignon, Chad Bartholomew, Coy Gibbs, Karrym Forsyth and Dr. Terron Hosten were greeted by Embassy staff who welcomed them to China and encouraged them to be diligent in their pursuit of their various areas of study.

They were reminded that their time here is also representative of Grenadian values, culture and interests.

Ambassador Her Excellency Marcelle Gairy, who previously met and addressed the students in Grenada, exhorted them to take full advantage of the opportunities they had been given to study in China during its rapid rise as a global power.

Ambassador Gairy also encouraged them to use Kirani James’ dedication and willingness to make the extra effort to succeed when necessary, as a model for success in China.

The students will be pursuing degrees in the following areas: Mignon in Computer Science and Technology; Bartholomew in Natural Disasters; Gibbs in Telecommunications Engineering, Forsyth in Agronomy and Hosten will pursue advanced studies in Surgery.

The Government of Grenada in its commitment to provide advanced educational opportunities for Grenadian citizens wishes these students success in their endeavors and look forward to their return and contribution to the continued development of Grenada.

Caption for photo

L-R: Mignon, Bartholomew, Gibbs, Counsellor Richard A. Nixon, Forsyth and Dr. Hosten upon arrival at the Beijing Capital Airport, China

Supporting the pursuit of greater educational achievements

St. George’s, August 30, 2011 – The two have enjoyed some measure of academic success but thirst for more.

Blossom De Gale, a graduate of the St. George’s Anglican Senior School (SGASS), and former T.A. Marryshow Community College student, Jaime Samuel, have both promised the pursuit of greater educational achievements.

They gave their commitment Monday as they were recognized and congratulated by Tourism Minister Peter David, MP for the Town of St. George.

De Gale is headed for the St. Joseph’s Convent in St. George’s after placing first among SGASS students in the 2011 Common Entrance Examinations (CEE). For her CEE exploits, she received a laptop from MP David, an SGASS alumnus.

“I feel proud to stand here and make this presentation. We are all going to be looking at your performance throughout the years,’’ Mr. David told Blossom at the presentation that was witnessed by a younger brother, as well as her mother and father.

In response, Blossom said: “I want to assure you that with this gift of computer, I will make maximum use of it to continue reaping great successes on my educational journey.’’

For the presentation of his gift of a computer and a cash donation, Samuel was joined by his mother, Diana Gibbs.

A resident of the Fours Roads community of St. George’s, Samuel is this year’s top student in Unit 2 of CAPE – the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations.

He has obtained a teaching job at the Presentation Brothers’ College but plans a future career in medicine.

“I want to say thank you for doing us proud in the Town of St. George. We’re very, very proud of you,’’ MP David told Samuel.

“I want to urge other students, who are going to do their exams next year, to use you as a role model and to ask you to reach out to them, whenever you can, to help them to do as good as you have done in your exams.’’

Samuel, whose haul of subjects includes passes in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, attended the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School after passing his CEE. So, too, did Mr. David.

The cash and computer donation, Samuel assured, “will help me in my future endeavours.’’

The MP encouraged Samuel and De Gale to continue working hard and also appealed to parents to give their children their “fullest support’’ in their drive for scholastic excellence.

Mr. David also took the opportunity to thank the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the contribution of the computers that were donated to Samuel and De Gale.