Teja Loutoo praised by Education Ministry

TEJA Loutoo, a Form Five student of Providence Girls’ Catholic School was praised by the Education Ministry for uplifting her classmates’ spirits, “with caring hearts”.

The ministry yesterday said that a tragic incident in 2017, on the compound of MovieTowne in Invaders Bay galvanised the 16-year-old student to do something to lift the sense of sadness at school at the time. Sharing her story with ministry officials during their recent visit to Providence, Loutoo said she began making hearts out of bristol board then adding words of hope, love and inspiration, to help cheer people up.

“It was around the time when a lady was killed – her throat was slit – and there was fear going around the school about people wanting to go there but having apprehensions because of (her murder). So I decided, as an act of kindness, to ease everybody’s worries, to make Valentine’s hearts because Valentine’s Day was coming up, with quotes of messages of positivity to give to the whole school so that they wouldn’t feel scared,” Loutoo said.

In addition, Loutoo believes she’s helped other students deal with peer pressure and problems at home. “I just wanted to have everybody just feel positive and to have light in their lives. I’m just glad to see everybody’s face light when they read it and it’s nice to see that little ray of sunshine around the school.”

The ministry also said that Loutoo, the daughter of Newsday’s Court Editor Jada Loutoo, is considering a career as a human rights activist so as to, “change the culture of societal violence and replace it with a consciousness of peace.” Providence’s Vice-Principal Krisal Gorin said it was very “heart-warming” to know Loutoo had the courage to make a positive difference in the lives of others.