CATEGORY:SPECIAL REPORT ---------------------------- INSIDE GRENADA TUESDAY September 18,2007 by Wallace J.A The SAASS Alumni Association (New York Chapter) has been trying its best to assist the St. Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School (SAASS) in many different areas. The support for SAASS has been in place over the years, especially since 2006, after the election of a new executive headed by Mr. Aiden Pursoo. SAASS proudly holds the honor of being the first co-educational secondary school opened in Grenada. The school was established back in 1944 and the first class, comprising 41 boys and girls, was held in April of 1945. After moving from location to location, the school was able to find a permanent home at Telescope, St. Andrew’s. The school’s population has grown exponentially over the years – the population is close to nine hundred students, making it one of the largest secondary schools on the island. Thousands of children, especially from poor, hard-working rural families, have been able to benefit immensely from the qualitatively- high, well-rounded education that have now become synonymous with SAASS. The school has managed to leave impressive indelible marks on the educational landscape of the country in the areas of academics and sports, creating and emulating in the process a rich and enduring legacy. At present, past-students of SAASS are employed in almost every profession known to man and can be found in many different countries around the world. It is against this background that the SAASS Alumni Association (New York Chapter) was formed – to show its appreciation to the school for the remarkable role it has played in shaping their lives (past students) and to aid the institution in its fervent drive to successfully meet and overcome the many challenges that accompany modern-day changes to the nation’s socio-economic, educational and cultural environments. The members of the New York association have provided tassels and tokens for the school’s graduation exercises in both 2006 and 2007. They have also provided the Sports Department of their alma mater with the challenge trophy for the 2007 Inter House Sports Championship and thirty-six pairs of spikes which enabled the school’s athletes to participate very competitively at the 2007 Intercol Games staged at the National Stadium. The SAASS Alumni has also provided a DVD player and television set to the school to assist teachers with the delivery of their lessons in the classrooms. Many experts in the field of education have concluded that today’s children are fascinated with audio-visual gadgetry and the use of such devices to deliver information to students could be extremely beneficial to them. The staff and students of the school have therefore found these gifts to be extremely valuable as teaching aids. Earlier on this year, the SAASS Alumni also provided a return ticket to the principal of the school, Ms Joylyn Lyle, to visit New York and speak to members of the organization, as well as other interested parties, about the condition of the school during the post-Hurricane Ivan period, the subsequent difficulties that the school had to deal with and the challenges it was still facing. This was obviously a clear manifestation of the group’s intention to forge a closer working relationship with SAASS. At present, the association is in the process of raising funds to assist the school with football uniforms, furniture and other items which are urgently needed at this time. SAASS Alumni in New York has planned a fund-raising event for Saturday October 13,2007. This function will take the form of a New York Night Bus Ride to Foxwood Casino. Persons in the New York area are encouraged to be a part of this event since this will be an ideal opportunity for individuals to make a valuable contribution towards the holistic development of thousands of young people here in Grenada. The SAASS Alumni also has a limited quantity of authentic SAASS ties on sale and persons in the New York area who are desirous of getting one can contact members of the Alumni. The school’s management, staff, students, former pupils and friends of SAASS wish to thank the Alumni Association for the assistance it has rendered thus far and sincerely hope that the relationship can continue to grow from strength to strength in the years and decades ahead.