SVGCC Celebrates Academic Excellence at Stellar 2026 Awards Ceremony
- Jeronnie Richardson (MBA)
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) hosted its 2026 Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 18 June, at the lecture hall on the college’s grounds — home to the Division of Arts, Science and General Studies (DASGS) — bringing together students, educators, families and senior government officials for an evening dedicated to academic achievement and student excellence. The ceremony carried a steel pan theme, a nod to one of the Caribbean’s most iconic cultural traditions and a fitting backdrop for a night honouring the region’s next generation of scholars.
The ceremony commenced at 7:26 p.m. — approximately twenty-six minutes behind schedule — but any impatience soon dissolved as the evening unfolded with warmth, talent and genuine celebration.
High-Level Representation
The occasion drew some of the nation’s most prominent figures, underscoring the prestige of the SVGCC as the country’s premier tertiary institution. In attendance were His Excellency Sir Stanley John, GCMG KC, Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Rt. Hon. Dr. Godwin Friday, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Legal Affairs and Justice, Economic Planning and Private Sector Development; and a significant complement of his Cabinet.
Among those present were the Hon. Lavern King, Senator and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Digital Transformation; the Hon. Terrence Ollivierre, Minister of Higher Education, Grenadines Affairs, Local Government, Airports and Seaport; and Desiree Millington, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister and Deputy Chair of the Board of SVGCC. Also representing the Office of the Prime Minister was press secretary Danielle Veira.
Setting the Tone
The evening opened with a prayer led by Shermin Warrican, followed by the national anthem rendered by Samya Duncan. Welcome remarks preceded the Director’s Remarks, in which Dr. Karen Thomas warmly addressed those gathered: “Congratulations to all of our wonderful awardees this evening, and to our guests — enjoy the celebration.”
Keyboardist Andre Quamina then opened the musical performances with a display of considerable skill, setting a fittingly celebratory tone for the proceedings ahead.
A Spoken Word That Struck a Chord
Jaydealeah Chambers delivered a performance that began by drawing laughter from the audience before pivoting into a deeply reflective spoken word piece. Asking searching questions such as “What is the purpose of it all?”, she challenged both audience and co-hosts with the assertion that one “must be led in order to lead” — all while compellingly embodying the role of the evening’s host.
The actual co-hosts, Mr John and Mrs Morgan, responded with good-natured humour: “Did you get the feeling — as they say in Vincy creole — that she was ‘throwing words’ for us? So happy it ended with a congratulations.”
Academic Awards and Ministerial Participation
In total, approximately 52 students were recognised across the college’s various schools and divisions, spanning DASGS, DTVE and the CGCE, DNE and DTE programmes. Student Initiative Awards and Special Awards were also conferred during the evening.
The Hon. Terrence Ollivierre lent ministerial weight to proceedings, cording graduates from the CGCE programmes — placing graduation honour cords upon the awardees in recognition of their achievement — a fitting role given his portfolio oversight of Higher Education. Among those recognised across the evening’s awards was Ashanté Walters, who received the Lenski Adams Award for CAPE Physics. A personal note of pride accompanies that mention: Ashanté is my sister, and the reason I was in attendance.
The Musical Highlights
Ronnie Richardson offered a cover rendition of Jamaican artist Jahmiel’s Give Thanks for Life, a timely message of gratitude woven naturally into an evening of recognition.
Darron Andrews proved to be a force on the stage, performing with excellence and sustained energy — bringing the room to life with renditions of Aretha Franklin’s I Say a Little Prayer and Michael Jackson’s Human Nature.
Kalique Peters then offered a contrasting intimacy, serenading the audience with his smooth tenor and falsetto voice in a polished and affecting performance.
The evening’s final entertainment fell to soca artist Bongo Prime, who performed Celebrate. In a memorable moment, he called on the DJ to cut the music entirely — preferring that his words reach the ears of the awardees without distraction. The gesture was both simple and powerful.
A Fitting Close
The Director’s Award brought the formal proceedings towards their conclusion. The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Mrs Veronica Luke, who brought the evening to a gracious close with blessings upon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the SVGCC, all awardees and everyone in attendance.
JSR Communications is a virtual marketing, communications, media and digital solutions agency based in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Visit us at jsrsvg.com.