May 4, 2007 – Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Education, Culture and Youth Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone announced the winners of his 3rd Annual "Reading to Achieve" Black History Month contest.
Ø Seriah Silcott- Yvonne Bowsky Elementary School
Ø T. J. Thompson- Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School
Ø J'Nise Gifft- Joseph Gomez Elementary School
Ø K'Yara Moron- Ulla Muller Elementary School
Ø Jonelle Ronan- Leonard Dober Elementary School
Ø Qurane Mathurin- E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School
Ø Candace Petersen- Joseph Sibilly Elementary School
Ø Earl Taylor- Lockhart Elementary School
Ø Vonyia McFarlane- Evelyn E. Marcelli Elementary School
"I was very proud of this year's winners. We asked our participants in this year's "Reading to Achieve" Book Club Program to do a creative expression of an African-American inventor and I was thoroughly impressed with all our entries. We were even privileged enough to have an entry by a visually impaired student who also won from his school," Malone said.
"Students turned in expressions of inventors ranging from the well-known Garrett A. Morgan, who invented the traffic light and gas mask among his several inventions, to Dr. Patricia Bath, who invented laser eye surgery, to John Lee Love and William B Purvis and their inventions and contributions to the improvement of writing equipment. In light of the negativity often shone on our children, it's certainly refreshing to see these outstanding submissions. I urge the public to stop by my office and take a look at them," the senator added.
As in previous years, students will be "Tourist for a Day." They will visit popular tourist attractions such as Coral World and the Paradise Point Tramway. "Hopefully, this will peak their interest in our number one industry and they will realize its importance. Finally, I want to thank our co-sponsors, the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association and the V.I. Department of Tourism for their sincere cooperation," Malone concluded.
