20
22 MAY
THE BELIZE TIMES
2016
THE GEMS OF GRADUATION SEASON 2016 PT 1 Featuring Sadie Vernon Technical High, Ladyville Technical High, Canaan SDA High, Edward P. Yorke High and Maud Williams High Continued from page 6 advice to his fellow graduates and upcoming students thus: “Don’t stop here, continue on. And do your best at all times, and don’t EVER settle for mediocrity”. Ms. Flores, who will also take 16 CXCs and is a tad uncertain as to her career plans (has interest in Chemical Engineering), isn’t uncertain in her advice: “Continue pursuing your dreams. Work smart, not hard”. And Ms. Miranda, who also will take on 16 CXC’s with a goal to pursue a career in either the Architecture or Medicine fields, has this to say: “Work hard, don’t settle. Continue working. Remember, it’s not impossible, it’s ‘I’M POSSIBLE’”. Keeping it on the Northside, but shifting to the Buttonwood Bay area, Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist High School will graduate 53 students on Sunday, May 29th, 2016 at the Ramada Princess Hotel, beginning at 3:00 p.m. Leading that graduating class will be: 16-year-old Valedictorian Ms. Mariah Murillo (of Class 4-Academic, with a confirmed Grade Average of 90.07%), 18-year-old Salutatorian Ms. Jacklin Vasquez (also of Class 4A, with a confirmed Grade Average of 89.37%) and 18-year-old Mr. Gabriel Tun (of Class 4-Business, with a confirmed Grade Average of 88.82%). The BELIZE TIMES caught up with the students on Monday, May 16th, at their Coney Drive campus. Ms. Murillo, from the Faber’s Road Extension Area, is the youngest of her large family – 8 sisters and 3 brothers. Ms. Vasquez, from the Lake Independence area, has 1 brother and a sister. Mr. Tun, from the Freetown Sibun area of Hattieville Village, Belize District, shares that similar familial makeup. But when it comes to their years at Canaan, their difficulties and issues are also disparate yet similar. Ms. Murillo points to the different methodologies of teaching students, noting that it helped her because “it helps when you get answers another way.” Ms. Vasquez points to the competition amongst her fellow students, while Mr. Tun points to not having time to study because of taking an extra course at the Institute of Technical and Vocational Education Training (ITVET), and trying to balance that with his work at Canaan. And like their counterparts at other high schools, familial supporters are key to keeping these students together. In addi-
EDWARD P. YORKE HIGH
Valedictorian, Glevaughn Smith
Salutatorian, Irene Flores
3rd place, Guadalupe Miranda
MAUD WILLIAMS HIGH
Valedictorian, George Barrera
Salutatorian, Nadira Moguel
3rd place, Selene Chun
tion to their encouraging, supportive parents and relatives (an aunt in the United States for Tun, a grandmother for Vasquez), friends are also part of the equation of success. Tun put it thusly, a la Chico Ramos: “Hand wash hand”. As far as their exam and career plans go today’s economy is clearly influencing their choices. Murillo, who will take 4 CXCs, plans to continue as far as her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. She says to her fellow students, “Finish
your studies. Don’t be dependent on others to get your education”. Vasquez surprised us by admitting she won’t take any CXCs, due to the above reasoning, but still plans to revisit the opportunity at the 6th form level. The future Marine Biologist’s advice to her fellows, in addition to agreeing with the above from her peer is: “Fight for what you want, what you believe in”. Mr. Tun, who will be taking 3 CXCs, plans to study Business Management and one day work
in his own business, like those of his family. His advice is: “Finish your education. Education is everything in life. Put God first”. Finally for this week’s special feature, Maud Williams High School. Intersecting 3 streets – Dolphin, Iguana and Racoon Streets – the high school will be graduating 35 students on Thursday, June 2nd, 2016 at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Leading them are: 16-year-old Valedicto-
rian Mr. George Barrera (of Class 4S1, with a Grade Average of 84.15%), 16-year-old Salutatorian Ms. Nadira Moguel (of Class 4S2, with a Grade Average of 84.13%) and the 3rd place (giving the Vote of Thanks), 18-year-old Ms. Selene Chun (also of Class 4S1, with a Grade Average of 82.17%). The BELIZE TIMES interviewed the students on Monday afternoon, May 16th at their campus as they were preparing for graduation practice. Mr. Barrera is a resident of the Jane Usher Boulevard neighbourhood in the Port Loyola, and is the middle child of 7 children, 3 older siblings and 3 younger siblings. Ms. Moguel, a resident of the Antelope Street area, has roots both in the City and in Orange Walk Town, and has an older brother and 2 younger sisters. Her colleague, Ms. Chun, is from Carmelita Village in the Orange Walk District, and has 3 sisters. It is their families that both influenced their high school years and got them through the rough patches. Mr. Barrera, who admits he had to really “get serious” in his 3rd year, credits his dad for being “always there” and getting him whatever he needed. Ms. Moguel, whose sisters never finished or continued their education, was “under pressure” to break that streak, and credits her aunt with encouraging her to continue. Ms. Chun, who was unsure of what major she wanted to pick, credits her parents and uncle for being her guides, and her Dad in particular for being always there. Barrera, who plans to take 4 CXCs with the goal of becoming a Neurologist, gives this advice to his fellow graduates: “Pursue your dreams, never give up and always stay true to yourself.” Ms. Moguel, taking 5 CXCs with hopes of majoring in Early Childhood Education, says “Work hard and never give up.” Ms. Chun, who will be taking 3 CXCs and plans to become an Accountant, puts it like this: “Keep a positive mind and anything is possible”. Stay tuned and keep reading the BELIZE TIMES for upcoming features on the High School Graduating Class of 2016.
11 girls escape Princess Royal Youth Hostel More Deficiencies at At-Risk Youth Institution
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 On Sunday, May 15, 2016, 11 young female inmates of the Princess Royal Youth Hostel managed to escape from the facility. Eight of them have since been located by Police, 4 in Belmopan and 4 in Benque Viejo del Carmen, and returned to the facility. Three others are still at large and are believed to be heading south. According to Deputy Director of the Community Rehabilitation Department Maureen Williams, the escape is the result of a serious breach of protocols, and occurred in the evening when the girls
should have been taking their baths. “For some reason the door was unlocked and they left. Three of them went over the fence and the rest of them went through the gate. The gate was unlocked, it wasn’t open, but it was unlocked and that is against protocols,” said Williams. One security officer is posted on the grounds, but at the time of the escape he was allegedly occupied in the male section of the facility. This recent escape, and breach of protocols, highlights the ongoing deficiencies at the facility which is entrusted with the
care of troubled teens, many of them removed from their homes by the state. On November 28, 2015, three young girls burned to death in a padlocked room at the Princess Royal Youth Hostel. Anna Carlos, Elizabeth McKoy and Shadisha Arnold were allegedly locked up for escaping the facility earlier, and nobody could find the key to open the door when the small building went up in flames. Almost six months after, the public still awaits the findings of an allegedly intensive investigation into those deaths.