First National Family Week

FAMILY WEEK

The 1st National Family Week for The Bahamas was held 25 - 30 July 2021 and celebrated ways in which resilient families provide stability in neighbourhoods, communities, and nations.

Organiser Cheryl Walkine (1985 Queen’s College Alumna) describes the week as a blessing. As a McFAM (Marriage Children Family Alliance Movement) Advocate. National Family Week is celebrated in many countries around the world on an annual basis. Other organisations that supported the week-long event included the Ministry of Social Servies and Urban Development, Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Urban Renewal Commission. Community Affairs Division, Bahamas Crisis Centre, and other organisations including civil society, private sector, NODCI (National Organisation Development Connections International), and other Family Organisations.

The theme of the event was Developing A National Sustainable Economy through Strong Families. The event loaned itself to families, having an opportunity to honour the family unit and promote policies, programs, and projects that would empower dysfunctional families and affect ways individuals might collaborate and contribute to a brighter future for The Bahamas. The week was filled with activities and training events (including an overview of Dr Stephen R Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful Families, facilitated through the Queen’s College Centre for Further Education) that were fun learning opportunities that promoted sharing knowledge and implementing features that supported economic growth.

Prime Minister of The Bahamas, The Honourable Dr Hubert A Minnis, signed the proclamation for the inaugural National Family Week on Thursday, 22 July 2021.

Video of the Key Note Address given by the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd, Minister of Education. Video courtesy of NOD Connections International.

Image courtesy of Dmitry - stock.adobe.com

Samson Colebrook

Class of 2016 (King House)

ATHLETICS

Samson Colebrooke came to Queen’s College, as a scholarship recipient, in Grade 11. He recalls that his first memory of the QC experience was an interaction with guidance counselor Mr Reuben Mounts. oOf the encounter, Samson remembers, “not having a necktie...he gave me one.”

Samson spent his time at Queen’s College in the King sports house, (named for American Civil Rights Activist Dr Martin Luther King Jr). His most profound memory of this part of his QC life is winning the 2015 and 2016 BAISS (Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools) track and field competition.

While at Queen’s College Samson’s passions were God and track; he enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing the varying array of classes QC had to offer.

His time at Queen’s College helped him to understand that there was no advantage in stressing over things and that success came from focusing on his education and life goals and having the drive to keep pushing forward. Today he enjoys what he does and credits the Queen’s College community, expressing that each teacher he encountered between 2014-2016 did their part in his life and for his part he thanks them and thinks they have done a great job.

Samson Colebrook - 4x100M Relay - Tokyo Olympics 2020