MHS top Agricultural Science students honoured

• With inaugural Matthew Richmond Memorial Award

By Abiola Archer

The Mackenzie High School (MHS) Science Class of 1992, on Wednesday at the Linden Concert Hall and School (LICHAS), held its inaugural ‘Matthew Richmond’ Award Ceremony, aimed at honouring top Caribbean Secondary Education Council (CSEC), Agricultural Science students. The award given is dubbed, “The Matthew Richmond Memorial Award for Agricultural Excellence” and was presented to the two top Agricultural Science CSEC students of 2020. They are Julia Bacchus and Sean Johnson.

 The late Matthew Richmond was a member of the Alumni group and a pass Agricultural Science student of the Mackenzie High School. Richmond was honored because he portrayed excellence in Agricultural Science at his 1992 examinations and throughout his career path in the years he lived. “He was dedicated to Agriculture Science, as the source of human survival”, his classmate Commander Sean Harmon said.

In the opening remarks, Sir Andrew Richmond, brother of the late Matthew Richmond and the Head of Department of Agricultural Science at the Mackenzie High School, said that he hopes for the programme to experience continuity and that it inspires the upcoming students to perform excellently. He also emphasised that, “The programme needs more people on board for it to continue, so that his brother’s legacy can pass down.”

Head Master of MHS Haslyn Small, in his speech posited how well his students performed in Agricultural Science over the years. He said, “we would have achieved in 2017, five students on the merit list list for CSEC Agricultural Science, and now in 2020, two students gained a spot on the list.” These two class of 2020 students were awarded at the ceremony. Sir Small believes that with this award, it should serve as an inspiration to the current and future students of the Agriculture Science stream. “With this annual programme, it is hoped that this award inspires students to achieve the number one spot on the CSEC merit list”. He thanked the Alumini class of Five Science 1992, for this initiative and for continuously contributing to the development of the school.

Julia Bacchus who is on this year’s merit list for Agricultural Science and she received the first prize, which was a plaque, a laptop and $300.00 USD, while Sean Johnson copped the 2nd prize and received a laptop and $200.00USD. They both expressed appreciation and thanked their parents, teachers and the Alumini class, for playing such a significant role in their academic lives.

Present at the ceremony were also Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell and relatives of the late Matthew Richmond. In brief remarks she explained the important role Alumni members play in the development of schools and congratulated this Alumni for honouring their almer mater in this regard. She also congratulated Matthew Richmond’s mother for the role she played in ensuring her son lived a life that enabled his legacy to be remembered in a positive way.