By Andrea Bryan (Secretary, BHSOSA)

Prudence Julien, Form 4 Arts student of The Bishops’ High School has been selected by senior staff members of the school to attend the Scotiabank-York University Emerging Global Leaders Program (EGLP) in St. Kitts from October 17th to 20th. Members of the Bishops’ High School Old Students’ Association (BHSOSA) in collaboration with its New York Tri-State, California and Toronto Chapters have covered the cost for the airline tickets and additional accommodation needed due to travel constraints out of Guyana. Julien will be chaperoned by former Headmistress of the school Mrs
Elizabeth Isaacs-Walcott.

The EGLP program which targets fourth/fifth form students from the Caribbean is sponsored by York University of Canada and Scotiabank. Initially Guyana was not included in the list of participating countries however, after correspondence with the Coordinator Craig Wright through past student Sarah Eylte and her daughter Tamaisha, Guyana (through The Bishops’ High School) was added.

The EGLP is designed as a co-curricular activity to outline the benefits and challenges of leadership in a global context and provides an opportunity for participants to integrate their academic study with their knowledge, skills and attitudes whilst putting this into practice among their peers and within their communities.

The EGLP prepares participants to think about leadership critically by exposing the participants to a variety of perspectives, theories and leadership related activities. This program is neither the beginning nor the end of the participants’ development, but is seen as one step in the life long learning process, providing value to both the participant and society as a whole.1
In 2010, there will be a follow-up program to assess the progress of these participants.

Background
Since 1999, the award-winning program has been offered every January to York students. The program is also offered to high-school students in Canada, and it was first offered to Caribbean students in 2004 in Barbados.

Scotiabank sponsored the Caribbean program for 2006. Its financial support enabled York to add more sessions to the program and host evening receptions in each country to give participants a chance to interact with business, community and education representatives. The EGLP sessions focus on goal-setting and other keys to success. They are led by professionals and experts from business, academia, government and the private sector.2

Former Headmistress of The Bishops’ High School, Mrs Elizabeth Isaacs-Walcott receives airline ticket from Headmistress (ag) Mrs. Daly.

Mother of recipient Prudence Julien, Desiree Julien receives airline ticket from NY Tri-state Chapter representative, Barbara Chase.

Recipients with Senior staff of BHS and BHSOSA President – From L-R: Hazel Friday-Burrowes (Vice President, BHSOSA), Terry Stuart (President, BHSOSA), Elizabeth Isaacs-Walcott (Former Headmistress of BHS), Barbara Chase, (NY Tri-state Chapter representative), Mrs. Daly (BHS Headmistress (ag)), Desiree Julien, (mother of student recipient)