By Sherrel Charles
Every year, the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) engages with hundreds of students and teachers across Antigua and Barbuda in various educational outreach activities. From career days, to school presentations on Redonda, the Antiguan Racer, sea turtles, and other environmental science topics, to taking the students on a Mangrove Field Trip in to Parham or on our Offshore Islands Conservation Programme Floating Classroom experience, we are always happy to see the excitement on students’ faces when learning about the environment, and are always willing to share our experiences to further help them understand the importance of our wildlife and ecosystems here in Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda.
The increasing popularity of the EAG’s educational initiatives continues to grow year-round but focuses mainly on Grade 4 and tertiary institutions. To meet the expressed needs of students and teachers alike, the EAG’s Science Communications Officer Sherrel Charles conceptualised a hybrid event specifically for Grade 6 students that combines a field trip and presentation into one activity. Thus, Exam Energizer with the EAG was born – an interactive revision event carefully curated to ensure that Grade 6 students are prepared for their National Assessment by reinforcing key topics covered during the Environmental Science component of their school curricula over the past year.
The topics covered included Our Changing Environment, Invasive Alien Species, Endangered & Endemic Species, Conservation Needs in Antigua and Barbuda, and Life Sciences: Inter-relationships. The Exam Energizer has been fully endorsed by the Ministry of Education, and some of the topics covered during the activity were questions that came on the 2023 National Assessment. Mr Anthony Spencer, Science Coordinator from the Ministry noted that the way we shared the information during the initiative helped science to come alive for the students and was executed in such a diverse way that all participating students would benefit from the information shared.
In its second year, the event has now been graciously supported by Community First Cooperative Credit Union (CFCCU), who ensured that all students received a branded Exam Care Package that included stationery essentials, wildlife stickers and revision sheets from the EAG. Ninety-eight students from five primary schools – the Antigua Wesleyan Junior Academy, TOR Memorial Primary, Pares Primary, SR Olivia David Primary, and Pigotts Primary, participated in this year’s event.
To make the event even more impactful, the session was held on 17th May 2024 – Endangered Species Day, globally celebrated to raise awareness about all endangered species within a country and why it is important to protect them. For this year’s celebration, the EAG brought over not one but two of our critically endangered Antiguan Racer snakes to the mainland for the day. During this time, we engaged with over 150 Antiguans and Barbudans including the media, government officials and the private sector. The snakes were also a special treat for students attending the Exam Energizer – a perfect way to end the sessions! By providing hands-on experiences with the Racer, the EAG hopes to continue to sensitize the public to the beauty and resilience of this endangered species and encourage society to care for and become involved in their protection.
We at the EAG believe that environmental work should not only be worthwhile, but interesting and satisfying with a hint of adventure. We can safely say that everyone in attendance had a great time and the event emulated just that. Thank you once again to the Community First Cooperative Credit Union for sponsoring this event and supporting environmental education in Antigua and Barbuda. The Exam Energizer has been a resounding success, and we look forward to hosting the event again next year – unlocking the scientific superpowers of our nation’s youth.
