PRESS RELEASE — For the students and teachers of the Delcer R.C. Combined School, the school’s assembly hall is once again a space they can gather with pride. Bank of Saint Lucia officially handed over the refurbished assembly hall at the school, marking the first project under the Bank’s newly established Adopt a School Programme.
The project saw the assembly hall receive much needed painting, lighting and tiling, inclusive of a mural. Through an official ceremony held at the school on September 14th, Bank of Saint Lucia placed the hall in the hands of the school community. The Adopt a School Programme is intended to create an ongoing relationship with the designated school through which areas of need can be identified and addressed over time. Delcer R.C. Combined School is the pilot school and will remain under the Bank’s care for the next three years.
Senior Manager of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Genevieve Downes, said the decision to launch the programme was grounded in Bank of Saint Lucia’s desire to make its community investments more purposeful. “There is a difference between making a contribution to a school and building a relationship with a school. We want Adopt a School to be about the latter. We want to understand the environment our children are learning in, listen to the teachers and identify where our support can make a genuine difference. The assembly hall is our starting point with Delcer.”
The refurbishment was also made possible through the willingness of members of the business community to contribute to the project. Three major contractors gave of their time and resources to support the initiative, adding another layer of partnership to the project. This tells the students that their school matters and that there are people who are willing to invest in their environment and future. Bank of Saint Lucia believes that community development is strengthened when businesses, institutions and individuals recognise that they each have a role to play.”
The refurbished hall is expected to serve the school in numerous ways, from daily assemblies to student activities. In a combined school serving students across the infant and primary levels, having a suitable common space is important to the school’s day to day life. The Bank’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility programme places emphasis on education and empowerment, with a particular focus on youth development. Through Adopt a School, Bank of Saint Lucia seeks to translate these priorities into practical interventions within schools, while creating opportunities for longer term engagement.