In honour of Pride Prevention Week The Royal Gazette is celebrating Northlands Primary School.

Miss Samantha Smith of PRIDE told us: “The PRIDE Counsellor, Ms Hollis, and the Principal, Mr Joynes, make sure that every student is receiving substance abuse prevention education.

“They are the only school that has achieved this so far. We are really excited about and proud of this accomplishment and want to go public with it.

“We feel the ideal time to do this would be Prevention Week, May 17-23.”

Young Observer met up earlier this week with the Planning Committee for the Pride Celebration the school is organising this Friday.

The Student Committee includes: Malik Paynter (P1); Sherne McQueen (P2); Jamir Hatherley (P3); Paige Marshall (P4); Shazari Burrows (P5) and Cairo Simmons (P6).

Tell us a bit about your PRIDE experience.

Cairo Simmons: “I love the lessons, they tell me what not to do and it is very useful.”

Shazari Burrows: “I like PRIDE, it teaches us why not to take drugs.”

Paige Marshall: “It gives us information about lots of stuff. It has taught me that if your friends take drugs, you don’t have to.”

Sherne McQueen: “The lessons are fun.”

What have you learnt about drugs in your Life Skills Training?

Cairo Simmons: “I have learnt there are good drugs and bad drugs.

“The bad drugs play with your mind.”

Shazari Burrows: “The good drugs are like medicine, the bad drugs are dangerous and people become addicted to them.”

Sherne McQueen: “Each lesson starts with compliments. Each student has a chance to be the Path’s student and everyone in the classroom has an opportunity to compliment them.”

Tell us about Northlands Primary School?

Cairo Simmons: “I like Northlands. Our new Principal, Mr Joynes, is great. He gives us privileges when we earn them.”

Shazari Burrows: “I love my school because of everything it does for me.”

Paige Marshall: “ I really enjoy our fair and fun days.”

Sherne McQueen: “It is a fun school. I really enjoyed the Mother’s Day luncheon.”

Please let us know a bit more about what your Committee is organising for PRIDE Prevention Week Friday.

“It is a secret. What we can tell you is that we like Ms Hollis, our School Counsellor. She helps us a lot.

“She is a good cook and she tells us really good stories.

“We all like her, she makes the lessons fun with these puppets and she always comes to see us in our classes.”