UMHS is proud to be working with the Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool in St. Kitts. On January 15, 2014, the new preschool opened, complete with a special celebration featuring the school’s adorable little pupils and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the St. Kitts & Nevis Government and church officials.
The new school is the result of the dedicated work of Sister Ana Julita Bele Bau, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, and UMHS medical students.
A new preschool needed to be built since the structure of the old building was neither sound nor large enough to accommodate the growing number of pupils and give them a better learning environment.
BRAND-NEW PRESCHOOL: UMHS students helped raise funds & volunteered for the new Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool in St. Kitts. Photo: Courtesy of Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool
The UMHS Pulse spoke to Sister Julita about the new preschool and its collaboration with many UMHS students that have taken time from their hectic med school schedules to help kids in St. Kitts.
“In September 2011, we, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, opened a preschool in the small village of Molineux, St. Kitts,” Sister Julita says. “We started with 15 students at the time. Our purpose of opening this preschool is to serve the early childhood educational needs, especially of the needy in this area and to help families, especially mothers, to educate their children. We believe in the importance of a solid foundation of children’s education for a better future ahead. We want to help as many children as possible to have that good and solid education.”
Hard-working UMHS students helped make the dream of building a new preschool a reality for the children of St. Kitts.
“Our collaboration with UMHS was the initiative of Ms. Angelica Garcia, a student of yours and a very dedicated person to the poor,” Sister Julita explains.
SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER: UMHS SGA President Chris Garcia dressed as Santa for a Christmas party with the kids last December at the Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool. The UMHS African Students Association (ASA) & many UMHS students have volunteered to help the school in Molineux, St. Kitts. Photo: Courtesy of Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool.
She also sends gratitude to Ms. Sina Parikh, UMHS SGA President Chris Garcia (who dressed as Santa for a Christmas party last December), The African Students Association (ASA) and “many more students from your school who lend their help.”
“They organized a fun day, a Christmas party and even raised the money for our children,” she says.
In addition, she thanks UMHS student Victoria Chokuba as well as Ms. Loretta Akpala, and Ms. Hunza Ahmad for organizing the DoctorDesigner fashion show at the St. Kitts Marriott last summer, with half the proceeds benefitting the school.
“We used the money given to us for children’s lunches and paying our bills to run the school,” Sister Julita says. “It is really a big help for us.”
THE OLD SCHOOL: The structure was not sound & too small to accommodate the growing number of young pupils. Photo: Courtesy of Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool
Finally, Sister Julita gives kudos to UMHS President Warren Ross, UMHS Director of Marketing Ryan Ross and UMHS Dean of Basic Sciences Zenaido Camacho.
“You have to be proud of your students,” she says. “Through them we can see how much your institution cares about the education of the children of this country where your school is. You show your commitment; not only preparing the future doctors who will go around the globe to help many more people, but your institution also cares about the future of this country’s children through our preschool. We are so humbled and honored to be the one that gets your generosity.”
FUN DAY: Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool kids enjoy a field trip organized by the UMHS African Students Association. More fun activities are planned for this semester. Photo: Courtesy of Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool.
Sister Julita continues, “On behalf of our parents, teachers and students who benefit the most your goodwill and good heart, I would like to thank each and every one of you, the faculty, staff and students of UMHS for giving back to the community through our preschool. We wish you the best and keep up the good work. You made a difference in our children’s and their families’ lives. Every time I mentioned your school and your students in our parent-teacher meetings or in our conversation, they always said: ‘Those are good people.’ A good institution is one that knows how to give back to the community. Our preschool is the witness of how your institution is giving back to the community, especially to the children of this country. You spread the goodness of God to the people around us here in St. Kitts.”
YouTube Footage of Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool Ceremony
(Top photo) RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY ON JANUARY 15, 2014: Holding the ribbon : Mr. & Mrs. Fraites. L to R: Sr. Julita; Bishop Kenneth Richards; Louis Williams, Preschool Board Member; Hon. Nigel Carty, Ministry of Education; Timothy Harris, Constituency #7; Jaquelym Morris, Director of Early Childhood Dept. Photo: Courtesy of Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool
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Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciencesfocuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, “personalized medical education,” and it’s what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada. UMHS is challenging everything you thought you knew about Caribbean medical schools.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
