Vaz Prep hosts glitzy Father’s Day affair
Published:Tuesday | June 18, 2019 | 12:22 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
In a glitzy red-carpet affair, fathers and male relatives of students at Vaz Preparatory School in Kingston were treated like stars, with a buzz that guests are sure to remember for years to come. During the event, dubbed ‘It’s a King Affair’, the Kings escorted their little princes and princesses to a spectacular evening, filled with fun and laughter that created lasting memories.
With the role of fathers seemingly downplayed in the Jamaican society, the school administration decided to highlight the importance of fathers in the lives of their children and the nation.
“We have wonderful fathers here at Vaz Preparatory. In pre-school, we have about 40 children, and of that number about 30 of those, collectively, along with the mothers, are very active in the lives of their children,” said Yvonne Boxe, vice-principal at the Dunoon Road-based institution.
“This is our way of showing appreciation for the wonderful job that fathers do in the lives of our children, not just at our school but in general,” she added.
Barrington Pettigrew Jr was happy to have attended the event with his son, Jahbari, and his father, Barrington Sr. “I wanted to capture the moment and spend time with my father and son. My son also performed and we wanted to be here to support him as well,” Pettigrew said.
BUILDING LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS
Principal Karlene Bisnott said that initially, the administration wanted to have a father-daughter dance, but realised that there were more boys than girls in the school.
“We decided to turn it into a prince and princess affair. Our mothers are always involved, and we wanted to put a spin on it and highlight the presence and work of our fathers at the institution,” Bisnott said.
“The fathers have turned out in their numbers, and we are pleased with the roles they continue to play in the lives of their children,” she said.
Meanwhile, the guest speaker, veteran broadcaster, Michael Anthony Cuffe Sr, encouraged those in the audience to build positive and lifelong relationships with their children.
“Learn to listen to your children and lead by example. If you listen to your child, they will tell you what you need to know and they, in turn, will also listen to you,” Cuffe said.
“Demonstrate respect to them, and they will, in turn, respect you. Be careful what you teach your children, let them love themselves unconditionally. What you model for your child is what they are going to do,” he added.