The National School Awards (NSA) have kicked into high gear.
Vauxhall Primary became the latest recipients of gear from the NSA when they were presented with road tennis racquets, balls and a net during a presentation at the shool on Wednesday.
Some excited students could hardly wait until the presentation was over as they rushed to play with their new equipment, much to the delight of the school’s principal Lionel Stoute, National Sports Council (NSC) assistant director Mona Alleyne, NSA director Ricardo Marshall and NSA project coordinator Calvin Noel.
In her brief remarks, Alleyne said the NSC was excited to partner with the NSA as they sought to promote active and healthy lifestyles among children.
“We are pleased to partner with them in this donation of equipment so that the children can develop further and be healthier.
“It is a very good game where exercise is concerned and we are happy to partner with the NSA to help develop the sport further,” she added.
“Road tennis is an indigenous sport and it engenders a lot of community involvement and we want to be able to ensure that all of the communities within Barbados are involved in the sport.”
According to Noel, there is an urgent need for children to adopt healthier lifestyles at an early age.
He explained that as part of their efforts, the NSA’s goal would be to give a donation to every primary school.
“This presentation is part of the initiative of the NSA to promote healthy lifestyles within the school.
“As you know, we have embarked on the healthier lifestyle as it relates to nutrition, where we introduced the fruit juice sno-cones, so we are also offering healthier alternatives to snacks,” he said.
Stoute said that he was delighted with the donation, and he urged the students to take good care and make proper use of the equipment.