Wednesday, July 5, 2006 was a day of celebration for a special group of people—the students and staff of the St Dominic’s Children’s Home (the Home) Alternative Education Programme, better known by all at St Dominic’s as the A.EP.

Having come to the end of its first academic year, the wayfarers who had been a part of the year’s journey felt that they needed to recognise—and recognise publicly– the “gains” of the year.

The AEP has been a discreetly, developing facility for the past eleven years. Originally known as the Learning Resource Centre and later as the EOG Centre (after our long-standing “friend” in education, EOG Resources) it sought to address the growing problem of illiteracy, unfolding and expanding from a reading programme to a full-curriculum programme which now includes centres providing language arts, domestic science, human development and vocational skills training.

The July 5 celebration highlighted the personal triumphs in self-development of our AEP students: the self-confidence and daring of Shinelle and Crystal (accompanied by Elijah on the steelpan) as they led the audience in singing the National Anthem, the fantastic growth in terms of social skills and application displayed by Assad, Shem, Douglas and Dave—the Group One crew; the stick-to-it-iveness of many who saw their performances through to the end despite the slip-ups.  

We ate and drank of delicacies prepared by our students, many of whom had been exposed to food preparation for the very first time. Individual folders boasted of students’ progress over the year in literacy, language and numeracy; progress already noted by the Home’s management in its observation of students’ growing participation in our Sunday liturgy as readers. 

Celebration time for AEP participants at St Dominic's Home

The year has not been problem-free, however, for as the saying goes “No pain, no gain”—or in the words of the Home’s manager Sr Francine “Not without the cross”.

The problems and challenges have been many, due largely to limited resources and the under-developed role of the children’s caregivers (substitute parents) who play a vital part in supporting and reinforcing the work of the AEP. 

Staffing: additional staff, staff training, as well as “parent” outreach are two areas which the programme’s administrators hope to pay more attention to in the next school year, God willing.

A word of congratulation to the event planners – Jennifer Prescod, Alison Montano and team – for a job well done. We “big-up” our technical crew: Mr Hudson, Mr Batson and their group of assistants—all AEP students. We appreciate all that you have done in putting the event together.

Congratulations to Ricardo Mader, our Programme Coordinator; to our Centre Coordinators and all our tutors, trade instructors, voluntary and support staff—we are encouraged by your dedication, resourcefulness and hard work. Thank you for your “yes” and may God continue to bless your efforts.

We acknowledge the support of the wider community: Paula Lucie-Smith and ALTA—the programme is really working for our young people, thank you; Lara Quentrall-Thomas, Mr Joseph and the executive and membership of the Rotary Club, you have helped us to realise our dream of a multi-media unit, thank you.

To the management and instructors of Bennie’s Swim World, thank you for your patience; to Hilary Mc Shine and the Boating Association for exposing our students to the world of boating. To all the friends and supporters of the programme: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!