Principal Sands (left) stands with Corporal Taylor, and teacher Mrs. Murray, with an excited group of young students from the Harbour Island All Age School.
(Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Bahamas) – The 3rd Annual HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Awareness Week hosted by the Community Policing unit in Harbour Island kicked off its week of activities on Monday morning, February 10th, 2014, with a Rally held at the Harbour Island All Age School.
Key organizer and Community Policing officer with responsibility for Harbour Island, Corporal 234 Tekenia Taylor remarked that with the high incidence of HIV/AIDS on the island, it was their goal to educate the next generation with hopes of stopping the spread of these viruses within the small community. She shared that a number of agencies partnered with her office to make the week’s activities a success, including Nurse Saunders with the Ministry of Health, Principal Sands with the Ministry of Education, as well as Ms. Fernander and her team with the Ministry of Social Services.
The Rally, said Corporal Taylor was a way of getting the kids at the school excited about what they were going to learn during the upcoming week, and the activities they would take part in. They were also given information about HIV/AIDS and sensitized to the issues of not discriminating against persons with the disease and being supportive of those suffering.
“They learned a lot, and they know a lot”, informed Taylor. “ This morning we had skits, liturgical dances, different musical performances, then we left the school and we took it to the community. We marched through the streets, so that persons would be aware through our t-shirts and different songs of what we are trying to promote”, she continued.
When asked about some of the concepts introduced during the Rally, Corporal Taylor shared, “We spoke heavily about detection, to encourage persons to get regular blood tests and screening. We hit home to the kids that they cannot get HIV/AIDS through casual contact – and that its ok to hug someone who has HIV/AIDS – and that its ok to say a nice word, and ok to be in the same room. We also hit home the point that there are children who have HIV/AIDS, not through sexual activity, but who were born with the disease, and children who are orphans – who are suffering because of HIV/AIDS.”
Principal at the Harbour Island All Age School, Yorick Sands, also weighed in on the significance of the week’s activities saying, “This morning we thought it was important to take some time and reflect and bring awareness about the HIV/AIDS movement. A lot of people have lost their lives, and many family members were affected and this is a problem that is still very common in our community, so we wanted to take the time to educate our students, and encourage them to make good decisions, and at the same time to be sensitive and mindful of those around us who may be hurting from the disease.”
Sands added, “Today emphasis was placed on the fact that we don’t want to isolate those who may be ill or affected, but have them fit into society – so the message was for us to be sensitive as a school and as a community, and to be our brother’s keepers.”
The entire school was also encouraged to take part in a poster and essay competition, which saw 150 poster submissions in divisions for grades 1 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and 10 to 12; and a dozen essay entrants from grades 4 to 6 and grades 7 to 9. The theme for the poster art was – ‘HIV/AIDS, abstinence, prevention, detection saves lives’, and for the essay competition – ‘Detection saves lives, know your status.” An exhibit will open on Wednesday, February 12th, where all 150 posters will be on display at the local clinic facility in Harbour Island.
Activities continue with a student debate event at 10am, also on Wednesday, February 12th at the Lighthouse Church of God in Harbour Island – exploring the topic, “Should a person who knowingly infects another with HIV/AIDS be incarcerated?”
To close out the week, on Friday evening, organizers will host a panel discussion, beginning at 7pm at the Wesley Methodist Church in Harbour Island. The hotly contested winning entries for the poster and essay competitions will be announced during the panel discussion event.