By: Curtis Morton
Education Officer for Early Childhood on Nevis, Mrs. Florence Smithen, is of the view that the list of activities scheduled for this year’s child’s month observance will be interesting and beneficial to the children, teachers and parents alike.
She noted that the activities which will spread throughout the month of June are all inclusive and will involve participation from not only the children but those who look after their welfare.
The period June 1st to 5th has been dubbed ‘promotion and tag week’ and the children are able to take tags to their parents.
A workshop which commenced on June 2nd is expected to conclude today, June 3rd. The workshop is being facilitated by Mrs. Smithen and is being held at the Education Department at Pinneys Estate and is geared to all of the Preschool teachers on the island.
It has been referred to as ‘Preschool Practitioners high scope training: Large group time.’ The focus is on participatory learning methods.
On Sunday June 7th there will be a slight diversion from the norm. Instead of the preschoolers, teachers and parents meeting in a solitary place for a grand worship service, they will instead meet at various churches across the island, with each school choosing a church in close proximity, as their place of worship for that day.
Arguably the biggest event for the month and the one most anticipated, is the grand street parade and T-shirt day, which is slated for Friday 12th June.
The children will parade through the streets of Charlestown, commencing at Nevis Cultural Center and climaxing at the Grell Hull –Stevens Netball Complex.
Mrs. Smithen noted that there will be no speeches or displays at the end of the parade, as understandably, the children will be tired.
On Tuesday 16th June, a group of individuals from the United States of America, who are skilled in Child Evangelism, will be in Nevis to conduct a training session with Early Childhood Development workers. These include not only Preschool teachers but individuals who operate the Nurseries across the island.
Another highly anticipated event will be the ‘Dancing Stars’ concert scheduled for Thursday 18th June. According to Mrs. Smithen, this event will be a rare treat, as the preschoolers will feature in various dances from ballet to folk dance, to masquerade, to clowns…. In other words, the general public can expect a wide variety of dances and additionally, the Nursery students will feature in the dramatization of Nursery rhymes etc.
On Friday 26th June, a contingent from Nevis will journey over to St.Kitts to join their Kittitian counterparts in their grand parade day.
The month will culminate with a Fun day on Tuesday 30th June when the children will showcase certain athletic skills as taught to them by the officials at the Sports Department.
According to Mrs. Smithen, that too is another activity that the members of the general public cannot afford to miss.
She is encouraging all and sundry to support the children in the various activities and is confident that they will be entertained and blessed in the process.