Students participate in a race during the Commonwealth Day celebrations yesterday, March 11, 2013. Photo: VINO

The girls at the school were not to be outdone and ran some equally energetic races when their turn came around. Photo: VINO

Cheerleaders of Rhymer House go through their paces. Photo: VINO

Principal Helen Penn expressed that the school was a 'dying breed' among schools for hosting Commonwealth Day activities on the actual holiday each year. Photo: VINO

The school's annual Commonwealth Day programme featured songs, poems, a message from Her Majesty the Queen of England, a march past, cheerleading exercises and the highly anticipated Cultural Races between Rhymer House and Dawson House.

Principal of the School, Helen Penn, said “this is a day that Queen Elizabeth set apart for all the children in the Commonwealth… to have fun, fellowship, to eat and play.”

She disclosed that this was the reason the school was hosting their activities and celebrating the event on Commonwealth Day itself even though other schools might usually take a day off for the holiday and have activities on other dates.

“We are the dying breed… last set,” she said, “because all the other schools take off today and they have their activities other days.”

Persons could be seen pouring into the school grounds in preparation for the races and when this eventually got underway, there was boisterous support from the fairly sized crowd that had built up.

There was also lots of food and drink on sale in addition to a few novelty games as well.

There was spirited competition between all age groups in the races but only one winner would emerge victorious as Dawson House defeated Rhymer House by close to 100 points. Final scores in the races were 702 points and Rhymer House 609 points.