Zippy’s teacher gets top award

The Zippy’s Friends Teacher of the Year has been awarded to Samantha Sooknanan who was recognised for her hard work, resilience and innovation employed to ensure the success of the Zippy’s Friends Programme. Sooknanan was presented with the award by the Digicel Foundation project co-ordinator Diana Mathura-Hobson.

Sooknanan was nominated by the School Leadership Center which, through its collaboration with the foundation, implements the programme in schools across TT. For her work in implementing the programme at the St Augustine South Government Primary School, she received a Samsung tablet and one year’s free data from the foundation. In addition she will be Digicel’s special guest throughout the year, at the company’s key events.

Beaming from her award, the elated teacher said in a media release: “It was a pleasure to be part of the Zippy’s Friends Programme which transforms both children and teachers.” She also thanked her co-worker saying she could not have done it without her. Referring to her reward, Sooknanan added: “This tablet will not just be used by me but by all the teachers, as we continue to mentor and mould our children.”

Zippy’s Friends is an emotional literacy programme designed for children between the five to eight-years-old and is endorsed by the Ministry of Education. It comprises six modules –feelings, communication, making and breaking relationships, conflict resolution, dealing with death, and change and loss.

There are 96 schools participating in the programme which impacts12,000 children across the country.