The event, according to Head of School for the ICCS, Dr. Patricia Hensley, will be held on 28th May, 2011, at the Royal St. Kitts Marriott Ball Room and a number of exciting and interesting items would be up for the bidding including jewellery, catamaran cruises, a Blackberry, two airline tickets to any North American destination, original Barbara Kassab and Rosie Cameron paintings and Claudia Amory artwork.
Dr. Hensley, speaking exclusively with MiyVue.com, explained that the idea of having an auction/dinner was broached by her, having organised others during her 33-year tenure in Catholic education. She said that she has viewed first-hand the success of such activities and felt that for the ICCS, it would be a good fund-raising tool.
“I was the person who came up with the idea of having an auction…In my previous school, I have organised dinner auctions and they were very successful. We have raised, at some of our dinner auctions, US$250,000 for one auction. This is our first year, so our goal, to benefit our school and all of our students here, is EC$70,000 which we feel is a very big beginning and it will support all of our students and our programmes so that we can continue in outstanding education for them.”
The Head of Schools said the funds raised at the event would be used for the construction and development of three new laboratories for the learning institution as well as the development of its playground.
“We are opening three new labs next year (2012). First we have the brand new Biology Lab which will have all new equipment and material. We have a brand new Chemistry Lab with all new material and chemicals and we have a brand new Computer Lab in which will have 24 brand new computers and a network server system. Those are some of the academic areas we are focussing on. In addition we hope to fund a new playground facility. We have a playground but we would like to add to it swings and those kinds of things for our students in the younger grades. We are a school that runs from Kindergarten through Form Five or Grade 11.”
Response to the idea, Dr. Hensley explained, has been “very very good” and persons have already been purchasing their tickets which are on sale for EC$150 per person – which includes dinner, a rum punch, dessert, music and allows the individual to participate in the auction.
Although indicating that raising funds is important, Dr. Hensley indicated that the most important achievement of the exercise would be people working together in support of catholic education and appreciating the value of it.