From left: Elton Richardson (It’s Time SXM), Jessy Aventurin (Catholic School Director), Edmaira Jacobs (Sr. Borgia School Manager), Cloyd Ohndhae Marlin (It’s Time SXM President), Najilah Brooks (daughter of Mavis Brook Salmon), Earlon Brooks (son of Mavis Brooks) and Labriska Courtar (It’s Time SXM member).
PHILIPSBURG--It’s Time SXM and family of the late Mavis Brooks Salmon presented a symbolic cheque donation to Sister Borgia Elementary School recently as the school held a fundraising social night in its efforts to raise additional resources to cover the cost of purchasing digital boards for the next academic year.
School Manager Edmaira Jacobs, Edwina David and the remaining school organising committee, known as Team Awesome, sought the support of Fish Da Mega Boss, who in turn contacted It’s Time SXM Foundation for the possibilities of its participation and contribution towards the community fundraiser.
Ohndhae Marlin of It’s Time SXM Foundation said, “When contacted by Fish Da Mega Boss, three things came to my mind that resulted in immediate action by our foundation members and board to make a contribution. The first was that Sister Borgia School, was once managed by its former principal, the late Mavis Brooks-Salmon.”
Marlin described her as a woman who had made significant contributions to the school and the country as a member of the Advisory Council and a strong advocate for education. “My daughter Maisha Marlin, member of It’s Time SXM Foundation and former student of Sister Borgia School, was first to jump to a profound ‘yes’, indicating that it was only fitting to assist the school in honour of ‘Aunty Mavis’, as Brooks was often called by members of our family,” he added.
Secondly, he said that, as a community, we must recognise that St. Maarten is blessed and continues to have very low levels of violent behaviour in the school system in comparison to recent developments in the United States, “where we read and see the attack on the innocent children in classrooms, children who went to school one morning and did not return home because of a single gunman.”
“We must be grateful and continue to support our schools in every way possible to ensure that we maintain the safety and provide the tools required for learning in that safe environment,” Marlin said.
Lastly, he said the thought that led to their decision to support this initiative was “the fact that together we can do more, and when called by a great calypsonian like Fish Da Mega Boss, we knew that the call required a great response of support as well. We contacted the Brooks family and immediately they jumped on board to contribute with us.”
Earlon Brooks and Najhilah Brooks, the children of the late Mavis Brooks Salmon, and foundation members Labriska Courtar, Elton Richardson and Jimmy Challenger were present during the symbolic cheque presentation by Marlin to Jacobs.
“We are thankful to It’s Time SXM for their generous contribution to cover the cost of one digital board and will look forward to continued support from the community at large to meet our goal of eight digital boards for next school academic year,” the school manager said.
“As the schools continue to implement learning through digitisation, the contributions made by corporate sponsors and non-profit organisations like It’s Time SXM Foundation help to bridge the gap in funding that is key to covering the cost of the tools and equipment required for e-learning initiatives.”
It’s Time SXM said it will continue pushing forward and supporting such community projects as long as resources are available, under the premise that together we can achieve more. The foundation thanks the community for their continued positive support which in turn provides for It’s Time SXM’s ability to do more in return.
