Fun around the bonfire

Rhianna Mc Kenzie

“A school is like an ecosystem,” said principal and founder of the Athenian Pre-Secondary School, Kezia Reece at the school’s annual end-of-year bonfire on November 17. The St Augustine-based school has been hosting the event for the past 11 years.

She said a school is not just comprised of classrooms for the purpose of learning, it is a social space that produces and sustains healthy relationships. Much like a camp fire, the school yard is a communal space, made for conversation, bonding and creating friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. This was the inspiration behind the bonfire tradition.

"The idea is to create a relaxed atmosphere where both children and adults can get together, reflect and unwind."

The atmosphere on bonfire night was energetic. Children were running around the playground and roasting their marshmallows and hotdogs on the fire, under the watchful eyes of their chaperones, while the school staff prepared the food. Some parents were fully engaged in a spirited game of all fours, while a few past students were huddled in a nearby classroom catching up on their new lives at secondary school and reminiscing on days past.

“Everyone contributes,” Reece said. Although the main meal is prepared by school staff, parents bring food, drinks, help out, and even treat the children to a few goodies to put in their stockings –another bonfire tradition. “To be a community, we should connect with each other and form relationships,” Reece said, which is why electronics are discouraged. But the children were having so much fun, they barely missed their gadgets.

As part of their effort to engage members of the community, Reece explained, police officers in the area are always more than willing to patrol, ensuring that the night’s festivities are not only fun, but safe.

Although the education of the students is the school’s top priority, Reece said discipline is not the only way to motivate a child. “If we want kids to trust us, we have to meet them halfway.”

She believes the bonfire is the perfect place to do that. “It not only gives parents the pleasure of seeing their children grow and develop their social skills by observing them as they connect with their friends, but it also gives kids the chance to see their parents and their teachers in a less disciplinary role.”

Reece feels strongly that schools should not just take, but give back as well. She said at the end of the school year, children aren’t just preparing for Christmas, they are preparing for exams, which can be stressful. She sees the bonfire as a break from those end-of-year exam jitters and treating them to a night of relaxation and fun is the least she can do.