Students of Columbus Primary are learning the importance of service to others with the launch of EarlyAct, a club for primary school students, which adopts the ideals of Rotary International when it comes to placing “service before self.”
“These are future leaders,” said Rema Martin, President of the Rotary Club of South East Nassau.
RCSEN is sponsoring the EarlyAct Club, which is just over 30 strong and includes students from grades three to six.
“We are proud to be a part of their journey to promote goodwill, understanding and peace through their active participation in raising funds for community service and to support their leadership growth so that they can participate in improving the quality of life for members of their school, the community and, in the near future, the global community,” said Ms Martin.
On Wednesday afternoon young club members were welcomed into the Rotary family by Jeremy Hurst, District Governor, Rotary district 7020. The district encompasses 84 Rotary Clubs from 10 countries within the northern English, French and Dutch speaking Caribbean, including The Bahamas.
“What we want to do as an EarlyAct Club is…we want to serve. We want to help other people.” Mr. Hurst told Columbus Primary’s EarlyAct club members.
“Now, you are not just part of your own family and your school family. From today on you are going to be a part of a bigger family, the world-wide family of Rotary International,” he said.
There are 1.2 million Rotarians in 200 countries worldwide.
In his brief congratulatory message to the school on becoming the first EarlyAct Club of Columbus Primary, Mr.Hurst offered some advice.
“I’m looking forward to hearing about the tremendous work you do as an EarlyAct Club, how you go into the community, how you do good, how you raise funds and you help other people, but at the same time you’re doing that, make sure you help around your school and around your families because that’s where you can start doing things on a one to one basis,” he said.
EarlyAct members will meet twice monthly for 30 minutes. Meetings will be structured affairs with presiding officers including a president, vice president, recording secretary, treasurer, second-vice president and corresponding secretary. The club indoctrinates students to the inner functioning of Rotary.
Service is the main feature of EarlyAct which also fosters caring and respect for others, empathy, compassion, responsibility and leadership.
For school principal, Marcia Roberts, it dovetails nicely with a critical school mission.
“It is timely in that a part of our programme here at Columbus is character-building,” she said. “We want them to know that they need to be of service to others.”
Sonia Storr said the programme makes the values she teaches, easier to instill.
“It compliments what we do as guidance counselors. We teach core values of caring, responsibility, leadership and citizenship, and the EarlyAct programme teaches those values as well,” she said. “It also gives students the opportunity to learn more about their local community as well as the world.”
Fellow guidance counselor Chrystal McPhee explained that the first service project will be a school-wide Peace Rally and poster competition. She is ironing out the details. EarlyAct members also intend to donate books to some students at the school, she said.
Another project may be the beautification of school grounds, although EarlyAct members will get to have their say as to what will be their third, mandatory service project.
By Precision Media
Photos by Precision Media
Captions: photo1-Jeremy Hurst, District Governor, Rotary district 7020, welcomes members of Columbus Primary’s new service club, EarlyAct, into the Rotary family.
photo2-Members of EarlyAct, the new student service club at Columbus Primary, pose with Rotary and school officials.
