Daryll Jordan Secondary School in St. Lucy has been praised for taking advantage of its agricultural location and securing the inaugural Sir Clifford Husbands Agricultural Challenge Shield.
The accolades flowed today at Ilaro Court, as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Senator Harry Husbands, addressed the Royal Commonwealth Society (Barbados Branch) Awards Ceremony, to recognise the winner.
???I think you started with an advantage???St. Lucy is really the bread basket of Barbados. The St. Lucy Secondary School and the area surrounding the school, there are many farms producing lots of agricultural produce.
“When I hear people on the radio talking about the death of agriculture in Barbados, I think of St. Lucy,??? he said, while pointing out that he could testify to the good work of many of the farmers there.
Adding that the Ministry supported such programmes, he applauded the work of the Royal Commonwealth Society and gave the commitment that he would ensure a greater level of participation by more schools in the 2014-2015 competition.
Alluding to the judges??? comments about the winning project having demonstrated initiative, innovation, teamwork and consideration for the environment, Senator Husbands said it was the highest accolade that could be given to the team.
???It places the achievement of this group on a higher pedestal than what may be more acclaimed in the society and in the media generally, like sporting activity. This is ??? the very highest compliment that one can pay any educational institution, be it secondary school or tertiary level institution.???
The former teacher also expressed the hope that students on the winning team and others who participated in the competition would recognise the significance of the judges??? statement and take it and apply it to their future, as well as any challenges in life.
???They can always go back to the work that they did in this competition whenever they face challenges in life and this is life-learning and a life-long experience for the students of the school and for all of those students who participated in this competition,??? Senator Husbands said.
He further congratulated former Governor-General, Sir Clifford for ???marrying agriculture, with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)???, noting that he had done Barbados ???an extremely great service???, and expressed the hope that it would go from strength to strength.
Sir Clifford, in presenting the shield to Principal Stephen Jackman, congratulated the school and described the winning project, Solar Oasis, as ???imaginative, thoughtful and timely and having the potential to grow and satisfy future demands of its builders???.
???Emerging from this oasis, I envisage large vegetable gardens or a farm, irrigated and illuminated by alternative energy and becoming a shining agricultural enterprise in the north of the island,??? he said, while stating his desire to see an agricultural challenge shield project in every parish.
joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb