Pan made us more focused, disciplined
Naps Combined celebrates Junior Panorama victory.
JADA CLARKE, vice-captain of the Naparima Combined Steel Orchestra which won the Junior Panorama title has debunked the myth that steelpan is a distraction.
At a victory celebration held at Naparima Gilrs' High School on Tuesday morning, Clarke gave a ball by ball commentary of the excitement leading up to the victory, singing some lines of their tune of choice No Weapon by LFS and getting the audience to join in, and the sheer euphoria when they were announced winners, said the experience helped in her growth and development.
“Pan did not take anything away from me. Certainly not from my studies. If anything, pan made us more disciplined, stronger, focused and intent on succeeding. Trust me, the panyard is a classroom in itself," the Upper Sixth Form student said.
Quoting from Henry Rawling, “Youth is fleeting and time is short. Strike hard. Anything else is just average," Clarke, who will be leaving Naps Girls as she writes her final CAPE exams, declared, “We have proven here at Naps we are anything but average."
THE success of the orchestra winning the title in the secondary school category, last Sunday, moved staff, students and the drill master to tears as the first of two celebrations at Naparima Girls’ High School on Tuesday morning. A second celebration was held at Naparima College.
Teacher Kathy-Ann Cedeno-Cook, who had been instrumental in the band’s success was so overwhelmed by the accomplishment, only their second year in the competition, that she lost her composure and voice as she stood to deliver an address. As the tears rolled down her cheeks another teacher Naomi Woodsley came to her assistance to help her through her speech before an audience which included San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello, Dr Afraz Ali, chairman of Unipet, the band’s sponsor and principals of both schools, Carolyn Bally-Gosine and Dr Michael Dowlat.
By Yvonne Webb
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
