PHILIPSBURG:--- United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake was invited by the 5th grade Teacher and students of Sister Magda Primary School to speak to the students about himself, and experience working as a former Minister of VROMI and now an MP.
MP Lake was very excited to meet with the 5th grade students to share his background and to provide insight into his current line of work.
MP Lake stated that he attended primary school at the St. Peters Hillside school, followed by secondary education at the Milton Peters College, and then at the Bushiri Hotel School in Aruba.
From Aruba he travelled to the United States to continue with his studies where he obtained three Master's Degrees. At the end of those studies he returned to his homeland to make a contribution and give back in community service to his island.
MP Lake told the 5th grade students that "the expert in anything was once a beginner" who sat in the same classroom as them. He also gave the students 13 tips/strategies to be successful in the classroom and to prepare them for 6th grade and high school.
Some of the strategies included: be prepared; learn time management; learn to read, study and take notes in class; study for tests; have the right attitude; learn to take responsibility; be the best; have respect for authority; ask questions in class; participate; follow the school's rules; present yourself well; and believe in yourself.
The MP also quizzed the students about Government and Parliament structures in which the students' needed a lot of assistance with respect to who is the Prime Minister and what role Parliament plays.
"We need to educate our young people more in this area and encourage them to read the newspapers and listen to the broadcast media news in order to get familiar with our government structure and elected and appointed local representatives.
"Our kids should be taught from elementary school all the way up to the level of the University of St. Martin about the political and constitutional structures of the country. There is a need the need for an instructor content guide about Government and Parliament structures, and the names of our official representatives. This is very much needed and needs to be developed and given to each student in the classroom.
"I plan on following up with Help our Children Foundation which I know was interested in developing such a project for our classrooms. One of the jobs of an MP is to educate the students and people of about how parliament works and what exactly we do.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Teacher Claudine Spier of the 5th grade for inviting me to take part in the writing assignment – for Black History Month - about local representatives and other individuals who have contributed in some form or fashion to the national development of the country," MP Maurice Lake said on Friday.
MP Lake added that he would assist the class in getting an appointment in April to have a tour of the House of Parliament so the students can have an idea about how the facility looks. The MP says other schools are also welcome to make arrangements to visit the highest legislative body of the country.