Recent outstanding test scores have highlighted the successes of Brooklyn‘s Trey Whitfield School, a 25-year-old private institution located in one of the city’s most underperforming school districts.
“We are delighted that through the efforts and determination of our students and teachers, Trey Whitfield School has exceeded our set goal of 90 percent and above grades on English Language Arts and math scores,” school co-founder A.B. Whitfield said of fourth and eighth grade test results that were well above those of New York public schools.
“Amidst Catholic schools closings and the ongoing influx of charter schools, Trey Whitfield School started the 2008-2009 school year with over a hundred new families,” said Gillian Lakhan-Forbes, the school’s assistant director of development. The school provides a strong academic curriculum while creating a character-building, value-based education for students, he said.
Last April, the school celebrated its 25th anniversary with an awards gala at the El Caribe Country Club in Brooklyn. Among the honored guests was Ava Bradshaw from Guyana, the first teacher hired when the school opened.
Janie Whitney and Whitfield founded the school, formerly known as the Bethlehem Academy, in 1983 in East New York, which has a sizable Caribbean population. The school was renamed to honor their son Trey, who died in a boating accident days before his high school graduation.
For information, visit the school’s web site at www.treywhitfieldschool.org.
Raising the flag for Jamaica
“Heritage Fest 2008,” an arts and cultural presentation featuring special youth activities, educational programs and a flag-raising ceremony, will be held this week to honor Jamaican heroes.
The event begins Thursday, October 16 with an educational and cultural program at the Jamaica Consulate, 767 Third Avenue, Manhattan, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The fest ends on Monday, October 20 with a flag-raising ceremony at Bowling Green Park, Broadway and Beaver Street, in lower Manhattan from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
The festival is presented by the Jamaica Consulate in New York, the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board/NE USA and the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations.
Space is limited for the activities at the consulate, and visitors must R.S.V.P. by calling 212-935-9000, Ext. 20 or 23.
Walk to fight breast cancer
The St. Lucian United Association is accepting participants for its team in the “2008 Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk” in Central Park next Sunday, October 19.
Hosted by the American Cancer Society, the event sign-in will be held between 8 and 11 a.m. Registration for the walk is online only. Visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline, search under New York, then Central Park, and then search “St. Lucia” under “Search for a team” to take part.
For information and questions about registration, e-mail Natasha Monchery-Polius at nmpolius@gmail.com or call 917-207-3055.
Celebration of classical dance
Guyana-born dancer and choreographer Dheeraj Guyaram will be celebrating his three-year career on Saturday, October 18 in Queens with a performance at De River nightclub, 130-35 91st Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens. Show time is 8 p.m.
Featured entertainers include singer Sharon Ghanny, Harry Ramduit, Nanda, and Keval. Trained as an Indian classical dancer, Guyaram began performing at a young age. In addition to his extensive performance career, he is the founder of the New York-based West Indian Music awards. For information, call 718-850-7952.
Benefit for young students
The “Jamaica Education Support Initiative” project will benefit from a fund-raiser on October 25 at the Elmont Jewish Center, 500 Elmont Road, in Elmont, L.I.
The new program was established to encourage the Jamaican community to aid young students. The project was initiated by veteran community leaders Irwine Clare, founder and CEO of Team Jamaica Bickle Hospitality Initiative for Jamaican Athletes, and Anton Tomlinson, co-founder of the NAACP NYC ACT-SO, an academic enrichment program for city high school students. Tomlinson is also co-founder of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations. For information, call Tomlinson at 917-541-3348 or Clare at 347-678-3546.
Staten Island loves a parade
Billed as “A Celebration of African-American, African and Caribbean Cultures,” the Staten Island Black Heritage Parade 2008 kicks off noon Saturday, October 18 at Canal and Bay Streets in the Stapleton section.
The parade will travel along Bay St. to Staten Island Yankee Stadium (formerly the Richmond County Ballpark). Call Island Voice at 718-273-7736, send an email to pr@islandvoice.org or visit www.islandvoice.org.
College tennis showcase
For high school students hoping to play tennis in college, the 2008 Eastern College Showcase Day is the place to be. It takes place November 9 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. There, juniors and seniors and their parents can meet more than 70 college coaches, learn about the college’s tennis programs and explore scholarships opportunities. Seniors are invited to play in a doubles tournament. To register, visit www.eastern.usta.com.
This column is reprinted from the October 12 Sunday editions of The New York Daily News. If you have items suitable for this column please e-mail them to jmccallister@nydailynews.com.
