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Gladstone Road, Nassau, Bahamas, Tel. No. +1-242-361-5534, +1-242-361-5574

FAX +1-242-3612209, P.O. Box N-7540 Volume 6, Issue 1 Series of 2018-2019

Newsletter Date September 2018

Principal’s Message 1

Our Students 2

World Scholars Cup 2-5

Summer Achievers 7

Teachers Are Back! 8

My Dear Parents: We warmly welcome our returning families and the many new families who are joining us for the first time to Aquinas College where Excellence is our Habit! Welcome to what promises to be a positive and productive 2018-2019 academic year. We also invite you to join us in welcoming the following new members to our Aces family: Miss Anatha Morris English Language and English Literature Miss Janell Watkins English Language and Literature Mrs. Carniqua King-Rolle Chemistry and Biology Mrs. Suzette Wickham-Knowles Mathematics Mrs. Monique Marshall Cosmetology Mrs. Eleanor Welch Social Studies

Each academic year, the gifts and talents of our scholars combined with the knowledge, passion and commitment of our faculty allow us to diligently create an environment where Excellence soars. We sincerely congratulate our 8th, 9th and 11th grade scholars who performed well on the national exams and our 2018 graduates who have matriculated to tertiary education at UB or universities in the United States and Canada. We are proud of their many academic accomplishments! Our theme this year Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed. mandates that our staff, parents, community, alumni and scholars work together to further enhance the safe, loving and stimulating learning environment that exists at Aquinas. Our sixty-one year old learning environment reflects our Catholic values and traditions. Therefore, it is paramount that we forge such a partnership that nurtures our scholars in to becoming responsible citizens who are Christ-Centered and Character-Driven. Our holistic approach in our positive learning environment is intentional as we are guided by the eight expectations of the Catholic School Graduate. As a team, we must ensure that our scholars are: Christian Leaders, Academically Capable, Well-Rounded, Loving, Lifelong Learners, Healthy, Environmentally Conscious and Financially Adept. Parents, you are a critical component to making Aquinas College successful and we thank you for your dedication to your children and to your school. We cannot overemphasize how honoured we are to partner with you. Your children receive the best education when you and our dedicated faculty and staff work as one body. We encourage you to sign on to Power School, the Catholic Board of Education’s grade portal, stay abreast of your child’s academic performance and remain current by reading the weekly news bulletins on our website at ac.cec.edu.bs.

Character Day

September 26, 2018

National Heroes’ Day

October 8 ,2018

Aquinas College’s

9th Anniversary at the

Gladstone Road Campus

October 9, 2018

World Teacher’s Day

Academic Day

October 11, 2018

Mid-Term Progress

Report Card Distribution

October 18, 2018

2:30 - 4:30 PM

AWARDS DAY

October 19, 2018

Senior Speech

Competition

October 25, 2018

MIDTERM BREAK

October 26 - 29, 2018

Principal’s Message

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The Aquinas College family congratulates all new students who are beginning their journey

in ACESland. We are delighted that you have chosen the Home of the ACES. The passion that our staff,

students, alumni and the wider community has for Aquinas College is surpassed. You have truly made the

best choice in pursuit of your secondary education. At Aquinas College we make Excellence a Habit; for we

are Christ-centered and character-driven.

EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME - AQUINAS COLLEGE STUDENTS EXCEL AT WORLD SCHOLAR’S CUP GLOBAL ROUND

The Aquinas College World Scholar’s Cup Junior and Senior teams qualified to compete at the prestigious World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions in Yale this year.

10 September 2018 - “Let’s Talk.”, “Come talk to me, I would like to be your friend.”: These were the signs greeting the Aquinas College World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) team as they entered the doors of Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona for the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 World Scholar’s Cup Global Round Barcelona. Holding the signs were groups of participants from Israel, one of the 56 countries represented at the event. It was the first “sign” of the globally minded celebration of learning that awaited.

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The Aquinas College students had made the 10-hour journey from Nassau to Barcelona, Spain just two days before the Ceremony. Having gotten lost along with their chaperones on their first day in Spain, the students had quickly figured out the Barcelona Metro. Arriving at the Convention Centre brimming with confidence and buzzing with excitement, nothing could have prepared the students for the unforgettable experience they were about to have. Jasmine Hanna, Aquinas College World Scholar’s Cup Team Member, relayed the significance of that initial encounter: “The first thing I remember about the Barcelona Round was walking into the Convention Centre’s doors for the Opening Ceremony and seeing groups of people holding up signs. It was very interesting to see that other people from other parts of the world wanted to know about our interests, how we live, and what we believe in. It was amazing!” She continued: “Around the world we have so much discrimination, but at the World Scholar’s Cup there was none. Everyone accepted you for who you were and you were free to be yourself.” Aquinas College World Scholar’s Global Round team members included T'Ron Strapp, D'Ron Strapp, Canaan Cooper, Antonio Thompson, Dariq Chase, Tamia Moss, Jasmine Hanna, Malik Knowles, Arianna Milsap, Zyhria Curry, Jacovia McKenzie and Danae Morrison. The team qualified to advance to the Global Round after a spectacular showing at the World Scholar’s Cup Bahamas Round. The theme for the WSC this year is 'An Entangled World'. Teams for the World Scholar's Cup is usually composed of three students, each team participates in the four standard round events. The competition has a senior and junior level. Every WSC round features four competitive skill building events: Team Debate, Collaborative Writing, Scholar’s Challenge (applying learning across six WSC subjects) and Scholar’s Bowl. Founded by Daniel Berdichevsky the first World Scholar’s Cup took place in Korea in 2007. The first “global” round followed a few weeks later, bringing together students from Korea, Singapore, and the United States. For the past 11 years the Cup has celebrated the joy of learning, providing a tournament as rewarding for the team that came in last place as for the team that won. It seeks to motivate students from around the world not just to demonstrate their existing strengths but to discover new ones. Members of the Aquinas College team secured numerous awards at the World Scholar’s Cup 2018 Barcelona Global Round including Top 25% - Challenge Literature (Dariq Chase), Top 30% - Challenge Sci-ence – (Malik Knowles), Top 25% - Champion Scholars (Danae Morrison), Top 30% - Challenge Literature and Top 30% - Challenge History (Arianna Milsap). Most impressively six Aquinas College students, the Senior and Junior teams, qualified for the World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions.

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As the other members of the team relive their life changing adventure, the other half of the team is hard at work preparing for Yale. Danae, Arianna, Jacovia, Jasmine, Dariq and Canaan will attend the World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions: Yale University, USA. The event will be held at Yale University November 16 – 21. The students all agree that their time at Aquinas College significantly contributed to their success at the World Scholar’s Cup. “Aquinas College helped us a lot in preparing for the World Scholar’s Cup, not just intellectually but also socially”, explained Antonio. He added: “When I first came to Aquinas in grade seven the first thing that struck me was the loving environment of the school and the fact that the teachers and administrators were willing to help you. Aquinas College also teaches the importance of working with others to achieve a goal. The World Scholar’s Cup has the same loving environment as Aquinas and teamwork is important in order to advance in the WSC rounds.” Shona Knowles, Principal, Aquinas College expressed her gratitude to donors, “I would like to especially thank the Aquinas Class of 1968, Aquinas Class of 1998, Bernard Hanna and Matt Maura, the business houses and the friends of Aquinas who pledged their sponsorship to our 2018 Aquinas College World Scholar’s Cup teams.” Mrs. Knowles added: - “The scholars proved to be great ambassadors for Aquinas, the Catholic Board of Education and by extension The Bahamas. Their interaction with scholars from the 57 countries is unforgettable. The world may be entangled; but I am sure that friendships made in Spain will span a lifetime. The overall achievement of the Aquinas College scholars serves as a true testament that the holistic curriculum taught in Catholic schools prepares our scholars for the global village.

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PAIGE RAHMING Miss TEEN REGENCY

BAHAMAS

BELINDA FAWKES Miss Centreville 2018

DARIQ CHASE 3rd Place

2018 Bahamas Poetry Competition

JODI DODGE First Place

Brother and Sister Campaign ($500 Scholarship)

KOEN DEAN Global Youth Leadership

New York & Washington DC (Elected Vice-President)

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“Every chess master was once a beginner.”

Irving Chernev

Daijah Johnson, one of our esteemed Grade 11 scholars, has been selected to represent the

Commonwealth of the Bahamas as a player on the National Chess Team. She, along with other

members of the team, will compete in Batumi, Georgia from September 21, 2018 to

October 7, 2018.

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