A new element introduced into Speed Week 2012 was to invite any interested schools and youth groups to build Box Karts for display at the event. Several schools participated and enthusiastically, at short notice, produced some very impressive and well-made Box Karts.
The schools receiving trophies donated by H.G. Christie, were Summit Academy, Government High and St. Andrews. The trophies for the participating teams were recently presented to the schools and their teams of builders by Victoria Sarne, Project Manager Formula One Kart Stars and John Christie.
Both of them encouraged the schools to participate again this year particularly as it is expected that the school teams or other participants will be able to race their Karts and there is a possibility of making it an inter-island competition as Abaco already hosts an annual Box Kart race.
The Box Kart initiative seems to have aroused a lot of interest from the students and the various groups as well as fond memories from their parents who recalled scrapping Box Karts together from bits and pieces back in the day in Nassau when it was a very popular pastime.
From the organisers’ and teachers’ perspective the Kart building was an interesting experience in team building and interaction and in the case of St. Andrews, the students developed a “Friday night club” during the building process and have now turned their newly acquired skills into refurbishing old bits of furniture and donating these pieces to those in need – a simple initiative that started out as a project which now has the potential to develop useful skills, a sense of purpose and community involvement.
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Photo Captions:
Summit Academy. School Assembly. Principle Gillian Wilson. Trophy Presenters: John Christie, H.G., Christie; Victoria Sarne, Project Manager, Speed Week;
Government High. Assembly. Teacher Mr. Melvin Miller; Receiving Trophy: Kenson Nicholas and Arjanae Humes; Trophy Presenters: John Christie, H.G., Christie; Victoria Sarne, Project Manager, Formula One Kart Stars
St. Andrews School: Assembly. Teachers Mr. Paul Toomer and Mike Brindle-Selle; Receiving Trophy Matt Collins; Presenters: Presenters: John Christie, H.G., Christie; Victoria Sarne, Project Manager, Formula One Kart Stars.
