分类： education

Fourteen promising secondary school students from Antigua and Barbuda have officially embarked on a transformative career-building journey with the 2026 iteration of the Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef Academy, a targeted six-week immersive training initiative crafted to nurture emerging talent in the island nation’s key hospitality sector.

Running from July 13 through August 21, the program moves beyond textbook learning to place young participants directly in professional commercial kitchens at some of Antigua and Barbuda’s most respected hotels and restaurants. Under the close guidance of seasoned, expert chef mentors, students will gain on-the-ground practical experience that lays a foundational understanding of day-to-day operations in the fast-paced food service and tourism industries.

The six-week training period will conclude with a high-stakes public Cook-Off Challenge, scheduled to take place between August 25 and 28. This capstone event will give each trainee the opportunity to demonstrate the technical skills, creative vision, and professional habits they have refined during their internship placements. The overall champion will be unveiled at a formal awards ceremony on September 3, where they will officially receive the title of 2026 Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef.

A standout new addition to this year’s academy is an expanded regional partnership with the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, opening exciting international opportunities for the competition’s winner. The top-performing student will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2027 to join the Junior Lit’l Chefs Program, a component of the territory’s popular TCI Hospitality Adventure Camps. During the exchange, the young chef will train alongside leading Caribbean culinary professionals and connect with other like-minded young people pursuing culinary careers from across the region.

Program organizers have emphasized that the initiative would not be possible without the generous support of key community and industry partners. The academy is sustained in large part by the support of the Isaac family, who back the program as a living tribute to the late Ted Isaac, a beloved figure in Antigua and Barbuda’s hospitality community. Additional sponsorship and in-kind support comes from Global Ports Holding, which operates Antigua Cruise Port, as well as all participating accommodation and dining venues, volunteer chef mentors, secondary school teachers, and a range of other community stakeholders that have contributed time, resources, and expertise to the project.

At its core, the Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef Academy was created to address a key need in Antigua and Barbuda’s economy: nurturing homegrown young talent to fill roles in the country’s largest economic sector, tourism and hospitality. By providing accessible, hands-on training early in young people’s educational journeys, organizers hope to inspire more secondary school students to pursue long-term, rewarding careers in culinary arts and hospitality across the twin-island nation.

A new initiative aimed at removing financial barriers to equitable education access has been officially announced by Antigua’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Set to roll out for the 2026 academic year, the 2026 School Uniform Grant Programme will deliver targeted financial support to qualifying households struggling to cover the cost of mandatory school uniforms for their children.

The application window for the grant program is scheduled to open on July 13, 2026, and will remain open through a seven-week period ending on August 28 of the same year. All interested eligible applicants must submit their completed applications in person at the Antigua Multipurpose Center before the final deadline passes, with no late submissions expected to be accepted.

In a formal statement accompanying the program announcement, ministry officials outlined the dual core goals driving the initiative. First, the program is designed to guarantee that every student across the nation can step into the new academic year with the required basic materials and proper attire. Second, it seeks to ease the growing financial strain that uniform costs place on low- and middle-income households ahead of each back-to-school season.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to begin the school year with confidence,” the ministry’s statement read. “This initiative reflects our continued commitment to supporting families while investing in the education and future of our nation’s children.”

Program administrators have reiterated that all eligible applicants should prioritize submitting their applications well in advance of the August 28 closing date to avoid any last-minute processing delays. For additional questions about eligibility requirements, required documentation, or application procedures, community members can contact program staff directly at 727-2427.

On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, the Potters Primary School graduation ceremony held at the Potters Seventh-day Adventist Church became more than a rite of passage for graduating students. It served as a poignant tribute to one of the community’s most revered educators, and a public reaffirmation of the foundation established in her honor to carry forward her life’s work. The Genevieve Smith Foundation, which has supported young scholars at the school for three consecutive years, awarded four standout 2026 graduates with academic scholarships, marking the first round of awards since the passing of the foundation’s namesake and founder, Genevieve Smith – known to generations of students and community members as “Teacher Gen.”

Teacher Gen passed away on December 11, 2025, leaving behind a 50-year legacy of radical service, compassionate mentorship, and unwavering commitment to educational equity that transformed hundreds of young lives. For decades, she called Potters Primary School her professional home, where she distinguished herself not only as a rigorous and dedicated classroom educator but also as a steady source of love, guidance, and encouragement for every student who crossed her path. Beyond the walls of the school, she opened her home and her heart to scores of vulnerable children in need, fostering, raising, and nurturing dozens of young people throughout her lifetime. Her core belief – that every child, regardless of background, deserves a fair opportunity to pursue their potential – earned her deep respect and enduring affection across the entire community.

Speaking on behalf of the Smith family and the foundation at the ceremony, J’noure Smith-Kellman, Teacher Gen’s granddaughter, reflected on her grandmother’s extraordinary life and the family’s renewed commitment to advancing her vision of empowering children through accessible, quality education. She emphasized that while the 2026 scholarship cycle carries unique emotional weight as the first held after her grandmother’s passing, it has also strengthened the family’s resolve to protect and grow the work Teacher Gen built.

“This scholarship programme is our family’s way of ensuring that my grandmother’s legacy lives on,” Smith-Kellman told the gathered crowd of graduates, parents, teachers, and invited guests. “She dedicated her life to serving others, especially children, and she firmly believed that education could transform lives. Although she is no longer with us, her passion for helping young people continues through the work of the Genevieve Smith Foundation.”

She added, “While this year has been one of tremendous loss for our family, it has also strengthened our resolve to continue what she started. Every scholarship we award is a reminder that her work did not end with her passing. It lives on in every child who is encouraged to pursue excellence.”

In total, the foundation distributed 2,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars in awards this year, with four individual scholarships of 500 Eastern Caribbean dollars each recognizing students who demonstrated standout achievement aligned with Teacher Gen’s core values. The 2026 recipients included Jerzaria Hamilton, honored as the Top Female Student; Tayzhoni Murrain, named Top Male Student; Zia Roach, recognized as the Most Improved Student; and D’hanna Henry, who received the Exceptional Dedication and Potential Award.

Smith-Kellman closed her remarks by congratulating all of Potters Primary’s 2026 graduates, urging them to carry the values of hard work and resilience with them as they transition to secondary school. She also extended gratitude and congratulations to the parents, guardians, and school faculty and staff, who work collaboratively to nurture students through their primary education journey.

Today, the Genevieve Smith Foundation remains fully committed to honoring Teacher Gen’s life and legacy by investing in the educational development of young people at Potters Primary, and celebrating students who embody the values of academic excellence, resilience, kindness, and service that she modeled every day. Through its annual scholarship program, the foundation works to ensure that Teacher Gen’s remarkable, decades-long contribution to local education continues to inspire new generations of young leaders.