Saturday, May 22, 2010: Fondren Middle School, Houston.
In recognition that the academic accomplishments of our young Belizean-American leaders of tomorrow are usually overlooked, the Belize Association of Houston hosted its very first Annual Academic Honors Program for young Belizeans in the Houston area. What a success! The association worked tirelessly to find speakers and entertainers, obtain sponsors and gather names of eligible students and their parents.
There was excitement in the air as the auditorium began to fill with the honorees, parents and guests. No one knew for certain what to expect but we knew it was going to be good. It was! Our Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Alvaro Palencia is a well-known Belizean musician and former mayor of San Ignacio. He kept the program moving along while performing his duties as host and as a member of the band Caribbean Roots who provided the musical entertainment.
The guest speakers were awesome and had everyone in the audience hanging on to their every word. Miss Elizabeth Pollard, an 8th grade graduate, spoke of her appreciation for Belize and her dedication to academics. She has set her sights on becoming a psychologist and, based on her achievements so far, there is no doubt she will achieve that goal.
We take our hats off to Mr. Jorge Varela, the event’s featured speaker, who drove eight hours roundtrip from his home in Arlington, TX to be part of the event. His message to the audience was that we can each be anything we set our sights on. This is the land of endless opportunity. Children should always remember that their parents made major sacrifices to bring them to United States in pursuit of the multitude of opportunities America has to offer. They are the leaders-in-the-making who will be entrusted with leadership positions in the United States and Belize (or jewel in the Caribbean). He also called on them to explore this great, big, world that, even though it has become smaller, is full of strange, new languages and adventures. He said, “Don’t be afraid; pick one foreign language. Learn it well.”
The next speaker was Mr. Darwin Blanco who had also opened the evening’s event by singing the national anthems of Belize and the United States. Mr. Blanco spoke about the importance of character and honesty.
The final speaker of the day was attorney, Frances Arzu who spoke to both the parents and the students. Parents need to set early boundaries and expectations for their children. If parents wait until their children are teens it is too late to turn back the clock. School aged children have only one “job”. Go to school and get good grades. Everything else is a distraction. Ms. Arzu said, “Children either rise up to or down to the bar their parents have set for them. Parents set it high. You will not be disappointed.”
The opening prayer was beautifully read by 5th grader Everal Waigt, III. Poetry readings were done by Blayd Vernon Auxillou, and Zoe de la Fuente and a Garifuna dance by Rheisha Shol and Tequifa Westby.
The night ended with an evening social of food, fun, and dancing to the music of the Caribbean Roots Band.
The Belize Association of Houston was proud to sponsor this event and we are looking forward to expanding the number of participants we honor next year.
Additional events we are currently planning include the Annual Family Fun Day in the Park to be held in September and a New Years Eve Gala. Check back here often as we will be posting updates as they become available.
