HERO Leadership Empowerment Programme

Heritage Petroleum Company Limited (Heritage) has expanded its flagship CSR education programme, Heritage Education Resource Opportunity (HERO), to include a Leadership, Empowerment and Development component for enrolled students. During the month of August, the Company partnered with Youth Development Consultants, The Barcam, to host HERO students in a one (1) week workshop which focused on a wide range of topics including personal development, leadership, stress management and mental health, group dynamics and team building. Students were also taken on a field trip to UTT’s ECIAF Campus, which focused on an alternative career in agriculture.

Heritage Corporate Communications Manager, Arlene Gorin-George expressed, “Heritage has identified the need to expose these young ‘Heroes’ to experiences that gain them insight into values beyond the classroom. In addition to the scholarships granted, the HERO programme, through targeted engagements, will provide our students with opportunities to be able to learn and develop more holistically. Ultimately, our goal with the HERO programme is to create thought leaders who will take collective responsibility for the continued development of the Santa Flora/Palo Seco area and by extension the southwestern peninsula, through sustainable interventions.”

Currently in its third year running, the HERO programme was devised to work alongside principals of primary schools and by extension, the Ministry of Education, to identify top performing SEA students from each primary school in Palo Seco and Santa Flora. The identified students are enrolled into the HERO programme, where they receive up to TTD$100,000 in financial assistance for academic expenses, from secondary school through to the tertiary level.

I really enjoyed meeting the other HEROes and doing the various activities. The most enjoyable day for me was when we all went to UTT’s ECIAF farm and interacted with the animals and got to know a bit more about plants. - Shekera Malchan

Heritage has expanded its flagship CSR education programme, Heritage Education Resource Opportunity (HERO), to include a Leadership, Empowerment and Development component for enrolled students. I really appreciate Heritage and The Barcam for putting together this workshop for the HEROes. It was a great experience where I was able to come out of During the month of August, the company partnered with youth my comfort zone. I learnt about attaining goals and development consultants, The about the value of speaking up and sharing what’s on Barcam, to host HERO students my mind. I felt really lucky to be part of this and I can’t to a one week workshop. The programme focused on a wide wait for next year! - Alayiah Adolphe range of topics including personal The experience was pretty cool! We did a lot of development, leadership, stress interesting things, and I enjoyed the interactions I had management, mental health, with the facilitators and other participants. The whole group dynamics and team building. experience felt like a breath of fresh air. I am really Students were also taken on a field excited for any future event Heritage will host for the trip to the University of Trinidad HEROesand Tobago's (UTT) ECIAF Campus , including next year’s workshop. - Brian Uribe to explore alternative careers in agriculture. It was a wonderful learning experience loaded with lots of fun and excitement. The workshop taught us Heritage Corporate Comhow to work in groups and different ways in which you can cope with stress. The highlight of the camp for me was the field trip to UTT ECIAF. We learnt munications Manager, Arlene Gorin-George expressed, different things in agriculture such as how to plant “Heritage has identified the need sweet potatoes, scientific names for plants and the to expose these young ‘Heroes’ to products you can get from the animals. I wish it could experiences that gain them insight have lasted longer I really enjoyed bonding with into values beyond the classroom. my teammates. I also appreciate Heritage and The Barcam for hosting this workshop and I look forward In addition to the scholarships to another venture with you all again.” – Sherice Ryangranted, the HERO programme, through targeted engagements, will provide our students with opportunities to be able to learn and develop more holistically. Ultimately, our goal with the HERO programme is to create thought leaders who will take collective responsibility for the continued development of the Santa Flora/ Palo Seco area and by extension the southwestern peninsula, through sustainable interventions.”

I really enjoyed meeting the other HEROes and doing the various activities. The most enjoyable day for me was when we all went to UTT’s ECIAF farm and interacted with the animals and got to know a bit more about plants. - Shekera Malchan I really appreciate Heritage and The Barcam for putting together this workshop for the HEROes. It was a great experience where I was able to come out of my comfort zone. I learnt about attaining goals and the value of speaking up and sharing what’s on my mind. I felt really lucky to be part of this and I can’t wait for next year! - Alayiah Adolphe The experience was pretty cool! We did a lot of interesting things and I enjoyed the interactions I had with the facilitators and other participants. The whole experience felt like a breath of fresh air. I am really excited for any future event Heritage will host for the HEROes, including next year’s workshop. - Brian Uribe It was a wonderful learning experience loaded with lots of fun and excitement. The workshop taught us how to work in groups and different ways in which you can cope with stress. The highlight of th e camp for me was the field trip to UTT ECIAF. We learnt different things in agriculture such as how to plant sweet potatoes, scientific names for plants and the products you can get from the animals. I wish it could have lasted longer. I really enjoyed bonding with my teammates. I also appreciate Heritage and The Barcam for hosting this workshop and I look forward to another venture with you all again.” - Sherice Ryan Currently in its third year running, the HERO programme was devised to work alongside principals of primary schools and by extension, the Ministry of Education, to identify top-performing SEA students from each primary school in Palo Seco and Santa Flora. The identified students are enrolled into the HERO programme where they receive up to TTD$100,000 in financial assistance for academic expenses, from secondary school through to the tertiary level.

Sherice Ryan and Aliyah Adolphe attend to the chickens at UTT’s ECIAF Campus farm.

HERO students engaged in planting sweet potatoes at UTT’s ECIAF farm.

HERO students, Gabriel Nelson and Brian Uribe engaged in a team building exercise.