TWENTY-THREE BOYS HONOURED FOR EXCELLENCE IN SAINT KITTS

Basseterre, Saint Kitts, June 13, 2025 (SKNIS): Twenty-three (23) boys attending primary schools across Saint Kitts were honoured for their positivity, kindness, school and community involvement, at the 2025, Boys of Excellence Award Ceremony held on Friday, June 13, 2025, at the St. Peter’s Community Centre.

Her Excellency, the Governor-General, Dame Marcella Liburd; Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Gender Affairs and Youth Empowerment, Dr. Geoffrey Hanley; the Honourable Minister of Public Infrastructure, Konris Maynard; the Honourable Attorney General, Garth Wilkin, and the Honourable Minister of State responsible for Gender Affairs and Youth Empowerment, Isalean Phillip, all attended the ceremony and presented awards to the boys, affirming government’s commitment to uplift and empower young people.

“We always seek to find initiatives in the Department of Gender Affairs [so that] we can do more to support and encourage our boys and especially our men,” said Minister of State Phillip, commending the programme, which started in 2022. This year, however, was the third time a national ceremony was held to celebrate the awardees.

“Congratulations young men,” Honourable Phillip continued. “You have been identified and chosen for being extraordinary in terms of just how you show up and represent yourselves and your families and I think that is very honourable.”

The young men recognised were Quezon Elign Jr. of the Tucker Clarke Primary; Nathan Liddie – Beach Allen Primary; Rajarn Morton – Immaculate Conception Catholic School; Amari Kelly – George Moody Stuart School; Tzuriel Percival – St. Kitts Seventh Day Adventist School; Bijon Alexander – Halliday-Smith Primary; Dimaggio Grant – Epworth Maurice Hillier Memorial Junior School; Za’Nai Watson-Descartes – Tyrell Williams Primary, and Dwaynan Giraudel – Cotton-Thomas Comprehensive. Other boys awarded were Joshua Challenger of the Sandy Point Primary; Wazem Warren – Newton Ground Primary; Jaquandre Dasent – St. Paul’s Primary; Jaquan Warner – Dieppe Bay Bay Primary; Desrian Williams – Saddlers Primary; Dwevaughn Matthew – Edgar T. Morris Primary; Collin Thomas – Violet Petty Primary, and D’Quan Procter of the Joshua Obadiah Primary. Additionally, Emijah Maynard of the Deane Glasford Primary; Tivaun Patrick – Cayon Primary, Kemar Kareem Clarke – Dr. William Primary; Allanjé Cannonier – Bronte Welsh Primary; Kayode Tafari Kelly – Ross Preparatory, and Valentino Esposito – St. Kitts International Academy were also recognised.

Deputy Prime Minister Hanley presented a token to each father attending the ceremony in support of their sons ahead of the Father’s Day observance on Sunday, June 15, 2025.The ceremony was held under the theme: “Building Self-Esteem in Boys: Stand Up, Be Heard, Be Seen!”

-30-