STUDENTS, teachers and other stakeholders of the Leonora Secondary School, on Friday, proudly commissioned Health Hub and Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) classroom, considered the first of its kind in the Region and in the Country.

The project cost approximately $846, 000 and received funding with a US$2500 grant from the USAID Small Projects Assistance grant, as well as funds raised by the school’s Parent teachers’ Association (PTA). Other sponsors of the project included the Peace Corps, Leonora Health Centre and NDS Furniture Store which provided custom made furniture for the room.

A flat screen smart television and DVD player were also donated at the commissioning by the Ministry of Health Adolescent Health Unit. The Unit also held a health fair at the commissioning of the classroom on Friday. The project was the brainchild of some of the Peace Corps volunteers currently stationed at the school.

The room which is decorated with two murals painted by the students includes several posters and activity that focus on mental health wellness, and will be used specifically for the teaching of HFLE classes, which are scheduled for students at the school from Grades 7 – 9.

However during break hours the classroom will be opened to all the 678 students of the school.
“I really think it looks beautiful and we hope it continues looking like this and we want to keep it this way,” commented 12-year-old Ciara McDonald, who is also president of the school’s Health Club.

She thinks the improved classroom will go a long way in helping students to feel more encouraged during their HFLE classes, which McDonald credits for helping her in her own personal growth. “it has helped me open up to other people, it has helped me cooperate with my classmates, helped me talk a little more, get out of my comfort zone, and helped me feel better about myself,” McDonald shared.

Thirteen-year-old Italia Ramsaroop, who is the Secretary of the Health Club, also complimented the room, and spoke of how HFLE has been helping her. “I really love the subject because, in my life, I want to become a doctor and it helps me learn interesting things about body parts and about our emotions and so on. We get to play interesting games, we learn about a lot of things and if we don’t know the answers the teachers help us to figure them out and they give us clues about steps in our life. For example, they asked us about the addictive substance in cigarettes and we didn’t know the answer. We answered tobacco but the answer was really nicotine,” she explained.

Making remarks at the commissioning ceremony, Chief Education Officer (ag), Ingrid Trotman, said the classroom was an important achievement, not only for the school, but the surrounding community

“It ensures adolescents have a safer space to access relevant information on important issues that will result in positive change and choices regarding their health and overall well-being. Against this premise this initiative is an important step,” Trotman said. Her sentiments were echoed by Regional Education Officer, (ag), Immanuel Bridgewater.
“It’s a timely and significant intervention when we consider the high number of undesirable behaviour displayed by young children while in school and even when they exit the education system,” Bridgewater expressed.

Headteacher of the school, Fay Gittens, extended the school’s gratitude to all those who supported the project, noting that it will go a long way in helping the students, as the needs of children expand way beyond just the fulfillment of academic goals.
She relayed that the room will add to three other subject-focused classrooms at the school, which are the geography, mathematics and art classrooms.