New library at Nelson Street Boys'

NELSON Street Boys’ RC School will open its new Lance Aaron Lashley Library on October 19.

The new library is dedicated to the late detective Insp Lance Aaron Lashley for his contribution to the education and upliftment of students from the school.

Lashley worked with the now defunct Project Reason, an organisation that aimed to steering at-risk male youths from East Port of Spain away from violence. He believed education was key, and besides mentoring and motivating the young men, he bought textbooks and school supplies for some of them.

To perpetuate his legacy, his daughter and siblings established the Lance Aaron Lashley Memorial High School Annual Scholarship, from which two children benefit. Laptop computers and $2,500 vouchers for textbooks, school supplies and uniforms are usually handed out to two students from Nelson Street Boys’ RC with academic potential and economic need.

The vast majority of the school’s population comes from East Port of Spain, and its environs, where Lashley’s work was concentrated.

Emmanuel Hamilton and Antonio Francois were the first recipients of the full scholarships for the 2018 school year, while Marcelle Vonsee received a special, partial award of $1,200.

In addition to the scholarships, the Lashley family has donated books to the school.

Leisel Lashley-Taylor said: “Reading skills are necessary for developing the intellect. I am happy that we were able to donate approximately 200 brand-new recent-edition books on a variety of topics for all age ranges of the school.

"This will be an ongoing project. My father wanted at-risk male youths from East Port of Spain to have the same access to current reading material as the rest of the population.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the library takes place at 10.30 am on Friday at the school.

Parking for guests will be available at the adjacent Nelson Street Girls’ RC School.