The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

The need for mentorship programmes and community outreach within the school system is at the forefront of the minds of many community-oriented Bahamians, even more so given the recent unfortunate events of school stabbings and altercations.

Just last year, an 18-year-old was convicted of manslaughter for the stabbing death of 16-year-old Adonai Wilson. As recent as last week, a teenage boy found himself in critical condition in hospital after he was stabbed multiple times during a brawl at Government High School which left two other students injured.

Strongly believing in the old adage that “it takes a village to raise a child,” Bahamian Gospel singer and motivational speaker Ricardo Clarke is promoting a new mentorship programme called ‘Occupy’.

Launched by Mr Clarke and a number of local professionals, the self-development programme seeks to shape character, teach discipline, and promote health within the younger generation.

The group hosted its ‘Occupy’ launch event at the British Colonial Hilton on Tuesday, inviting students and faculty members of schools such as CW Sawyer and Claridge Primary to share in the vision for the future of the programme.

“We have a tremendous amount of persons who have come on board who are educated, skilled and leading in various areas that will be a part of the programme. We have industries like the arts, business, health and wellness, as well as education, that are all represented in the programme,” said Mr Clarke.

Core areas of the programme will include education, vocation/trade, entrepreneurship, faith, philanthropy, health, financial literacy, and etiquette. 

“Faith is especially a focal point because we want students to know that having a spiritual life and ensuring that they know that God is the centre of all progress is important,” said Mr Clarke.

“We want them to understand that as they progress and succeed, they also have a responsibility to be a fellow brother-man.”

He believes it is his responsibility as well as the responsibility of other public figures to make their presence known within the school system and community.

“No one is self-made; everyone is here because of someone else. You are a blank canvas and someone helps you to write on those pages. As we establish our chapters in subsequent books of our lives, we should help others to do the same. It is our part that we are playing in this big scheme of life; we are helping everyone because someone helped us. I have had a strong relationship with the schools for a long time. I have visited over 100 schools in the country from as early as the 90s into the late 2000s, but I just want to take it further. Rather than just visiting, I want to mentor that is why we are starting in the schools,” said Mr Clarke.

Several events have already been proposed to address the core areas of ‘Occupy’. They will feature local and international leaders from all professions.

These events will include “I Have A Dream”, a vision-building event for students and young adults; “Career Day”, an effort to gather the top persons and leading companies with a view of giving students access to quality information and conversations as it relates to their personal vision; “The Difference Is Me”, a seminar to introduce and reinforce the importance of service and build a mentality that is nationally minded, as well as a school of etiquette, media camp and graduation ceremony.

“The launch turnout at the British Colonial Hilton was awesome. We accommodated about 70 students in attendance. The beautiful thing, too, is what is happening now in the schools is creating value in what we have been doing for a long time. We have been planting the seeds of this programme from last year.

“Fortunately, given the unfortunate acts in the schools it is now showing us the importance of the programme. These kids are not bad kids, they are just misguided, they just need guidance. We feel like we can be the catalyst. This programme is going to carry on as long as I live because there is a need for it. The lack of support in the homes is rearing its ugly head, and unfortunately we are reaping and experiencing it. It is not a quick fix, but we are making a deeper commitment within the schools, hoping the students find their way,” he said.