By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ANDREA D Wisdom, hailed as the architect of modern pre-schools in the Bahamas, will be honoured posthumously as the Department of Education Pre-School Unit host its 11th Pre-School Sports Day.
The Andrea Wisdom Sports Day is scheduled for April 21 at Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. It will be held during the Pre-School Week that is scheduled to begin on Sunday with a church service at Chapel on the Hill, off Tonique Williams Darling Highway.
An emotional former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Neville Wisdom, brother of the deceased, said his sister was the “jewel” of their family and when she died on December 20, 1997, she left knowing that she did a tremendous amount of work in the area of early education and sports.
She served as the secretary of the Bain Town Flyers Track Club, which was headed by Neville Wisdom as the head coach, when track and field was at its best.
“As a result of the club coming out of the inner-city, we were able to produce Olympic champions, one world champion, doctors, lawyers, ministers of religion and ministers of the government,” he said. “So her work in terms of sports is well documented and I just want to thank her in her absence for what she did for the Bain Town Flyers.”
As for the role she played in the formation of early childhood education, Wisdom said former Minister of Education Paul Adderley said Andrea Wisdom convinced him that children can learn before they get into primary school. After she graduated with her degree in early childhood education from the University of Miami, Wisdom said she returned home and demonstrated to the country that early education can and needed to be formalised.
Wisdom said his only regret was that on her passing, a request by a Ms Chipman to name the facility on East Street South in her honour was agreed to. The building is still not named and Wisdom said he and his family are still hoping that the government will see fit to recognise her by naming it in her honour. “It will be most appreciated,” said Wisdom, who thanked all of the persons who have made it possible to recognise the late Wisdom next week.
Ann Smith, a former collegiate and close friend, said they had so much in common that they attended primary and high schools as well as college together. And their first teaching appointment was in Abaco where they were roommates.
“I want to congratulate the committee for this idea to recognise her at this event. It is certainly most appropriate,” Smith said. “If you knew Andrea, at first you might believe that she was somewhat reserved, quiet, but when you got to know her, you would realise that she was very passionate about something - about three or four things she was very passionate about and dedicated her life to.”
According to Smith, Wisdom was passionate about God and she loved the church, she loved her family and was very loyal to her very tight knit family. She loved sports and because of her brothers’ involvement, she became interested and most importantly, she was dedicated to her profession as she realised from primary school that she knew she wanted to become a teacher.
After she became the pre-school coordinator, Smith said it was Wisdom’s mission to change the concept of the programme by encouraging as many persons as possible to come out to the training sessions that she was staging, especially with the University of Miami coming in to conduct a session.
Although she was never an athlete, Smith said Wisdom possessed a lot of knowledge and passion for the sport and she admitted that if Wisdom was present today, she would be very pleased with what is taking place.
Lionel Sands, the director of education, commended the organising committee for putting on the week of activities to recognise the ‘little darlings’ of our nation and he’s pleased to highlight the significant and unselfish contribution that she played in the early childhood education.
“I was advised that Ms Wisdom played an integral role in the development of one of our ‘golden girls’ and for that as a country, we are eternally grateful,” said Sands of Wisdom’s role she played in the life of Pauline Davis-Thompson. “This serves as a tool in the development of our pre-schoolers and our little darlings.”
Anthonique Mortimer, chairperson of Pre-School Week, said the week is designed to bring some camaraderie between the teachers, teachers aide, parents and students within New Providence.
In addition to the church service and the sports day, the opening ceremonies will be held on Monday and the launch of their exhibition in the foyer of the Ministry of Education.
On Wednesday, there will be the book fair at Willard Patton School, Augusta Street and the costume parade will take place on Thursday at Holy Trinity, Stapleton Gardens with a luncheon on Friday at SuperClub Breezes completing the activities.
Mortimer said they are delighted to be able to host the Sports Day in recognition of Wisdom, who has been a poineer for pre-school education in the Bahamas in the government schools.
Casharon Coakley, chairperson of the Andrea Wisdom Sports Day, said they intend to start the activities at 9:30am. The participants will be between the ages of 3-5 years old and will come from 21 schools in New Providence. It is estimated that about 32 students from each school will participate in 16 events, including the 75 metres, egg and spoon race, sack race, three-legged race, tennis ball throw and the 75m relays.
The parents and the teachers will also be strutting their skills for the youngsters during the day. Points will be awarded to the finishers to determine the overall champion. The top three finishers in each event will be presented with medals.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID