Students of the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School observe the proceedings of the Fourth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands on June 3, 2019. Photo: VINO

Speaker of the Virgin Islands House of Assembly Honourable Julian Willock interacts with Students of the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School. Photo: GIS

The Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly were able to interact with the students prior to the Sitting on June 3, 2019 and paused for a moment to take a group photo with the class before they left. Photo: GIS

Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) greets a student of the Ebenezer Primary School on June 3, 2019. Photo: GIS

Deputy Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works, and Utilities, Honourable Kye M. Rymer (seen here greeting a student of the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School) expressed his excitement in having the students present. Photo: GIS

Deputy Speaker Honourable Neville A. Smith greets visiting students of the Ebenezer Primary School to the Fourth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly on June 3, 2019. Photo: GIS

The school was the first to take advantage of the invitation by Speaker Honourable Julian Willock to have students attend sittings of the Virgin Islands Parliament in an effort to educate them about the Legislative branch of government.

The invitation was made to the Ministry of Education expressing an interest in engaging all schools (public and private), students of Grades Five through Eight to attend Sittings at the House of Assembly. The intention of the Speaker is to have a school represented at each Sitting.

The Ebenezer Thomas Primary School delegation included 20 students and class teacher Ms. Bowlin-Brathwaite, according to a press release from the Department of Information on June 6, 2019.

“The House of Assembly is interested in ensuring that our students are well rounded in our parliamentary procedures, hence, at each Sitting we will have a class present, in our ongoing effort to educate, not only school children, but the public as well, about the proceedings of the House of Assembly Sittings and the Legislative branch of Government,” Hon Willock said in his opening statement in the HoA on June 3, 2019.

Social Studies class comes alive!

In response to the invitation of Speaker Willock, Acting Chief Education Officer, Mrs Connie E. George said, “We are always willing to partner with other Government Departments that show interest in strengthening our students’ learning process in the classroom.

Learning outside the classroom has infinite meaning that manifests in their daily lives and advances their knowledge. In this case, it will be an opportunity to see aspects of their Social Studies classes come alive.

The Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly were able to interact with the students prior to the Sitting and paused for a moment to take a group photo with the class before they left.

Future legislators

Deputy Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works, and Utilities, Honourable Kye M. Rymer also expressed his excitement in having the students present. He said, “I am very happy to welcome the students of the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School to the Sitting and I look forward to welcoming more schools to the House. It is a very high possibility that this initiative will help to groom some of our young people in becoming Members of this honourable body.”

As the territory is close to the end of the school year, a schedule will be developed by the Ministry of Education for other schools to participate in this activity for the upcoming school year 2019-2020.