School | Greater Belize Media https://www.greaterbelize.com GBM: Growing Together Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:39:36 +0000 en hourly 1 https://www.greaterbelize.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GBM-G-Logo-2-150x150.png School | Greater Belize Media https://www.greaterbelize.com 32 32 Beyond Textbooks: Sacred Heart College’s Whole‑Student Mission https://www.greaterbelize.com/beyond-textbooks-sacred-heart-colleges-whole-student-mission/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beyond-textbooks-sacred-heart-colleges-whole-student-mission Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:39:36 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=83464 Tonight, for Kolcha Tuesday, we’re heading west to a high school that’s shaping minds, hearts, and character. In San Ignacio, Sacred Heart College has built a name for itself, not just for strong academics, but for developing the whole student. From spirituality to sports, music […]

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Tonight, for Kolcha Tuesday, we’re heading west to a high school that’s shaping minds, hearts, and character. In San Ignacio, Sacred Heart College has built a name for itself, not just for strong academics, but for developing the whole student. From spirituality to sports, music to mentorship, the school believes learning should go far beyond the pages of a textbook. News Five’s Shane Williams has the story from San Ignacio.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

Up in the hills of San Ignacio sits a campus many in Cayo proudly call their school of choice, Sacred Heart College. With more than nine hundred students filling the high‑school classrooms, the place buzzes with energy, ambition, and a strong sense of faith. But administrators say Sacred Heart is defined by its philosophy, not it’s size.

 

Berta Cambranes

                  Berta Cambranes

Dr. Berta Cambranes, President, Sacred Heart College

“SHC is a Catholic institution, and we’re guided by Catholic ethos. Our mission is to create a holistic individual. We focus of course on academics and in addition to that we also look at the arts. For example, we have art, we have music, we look at sports. Our PE classes are very important to us. Our students are engaged in all the sporting competitions that we have. We also look at spiritual, which is very important to us. We have our masses every week. In addition to that, our students also participate once a year in a retreat.”

 

Holistic education here means balance. For Campus Ministry Director and Junior College lecturer Emmanuel Mangar, one of the most visible examples of that formation is the school choir.

 

Emmanuel Mangar

                Emmanuel Mangar

Emmanuel Mangar, Campus Ministry Director

“These students that are here in the choir, some of them started with the choir three years ago and have stayed with us since, and they’ve grown in their leadership roles. Just having courage to maybe speak right. Their public speaking has definitely improved in front of other students, in front of audiences. Think about it, we have mass every week. And it is close to five hundred to a thousand students weekly.”

 

The choir is more than music, it’s mentorship, discipline, and spiritual leadership. From one guitar and a small sound system, the program has grown to nearly twenty singers, multiple musicians and full technical support. And the skills students develop don’t stay on campus.

 

Fernando Mesh

                       Fernando Mesh

Fernando Mesh, Student, Class 4G

“I feel like being in the choir helped me a lot develop musically, thanks to Mr. Mangar. I developed a lot of musical abilities and I am, I usually go host events around town and thing, and that has helped me a lot, yeah. I’m gonna continue doing that in the future.”

 

But Sacred Heart’s holistic vision reaches far beyond the chapel. In classrooms and clubs, students are encouraged to sharpen their intellect and discover new interests. For Bianca Reyes, her choice is the chess club.

 

Bianca Reyes

                             Bianca Reyes

Bianca Reyes, Class 4D

“Last year in December I won best female player for the Blitz Tournament. That’s three minutes each. So I think that’s a very fond memory.”

 

Shane Williams

“What can other students who are thinking about coming here look forward to?”

 

Bianca Reyes

“I would say them other clubs that we have. It’s not just chess club, it’s if you wanna be more active in the community we have Red Cross. We have the Interact Club that’s also here. So you have a lot of options.”

 

With choices ranging from chess club to Interact and Red Cross to drama, students say there’s something for everyone to feel at home. And when challenges arise, there is support.

 

Amanda Dixon

                       Amanda Dixon

Amanda Dixon, High School Counselor

“We really want to offer space where students feel safe so that they know that they’re not alone on their transition in high school because. Different forms have different concerns for us, and developmentally it’s a huge part of the adolescence. So we’re there to support them on their journey, both academically, because at Sacred Heart we’re really about holistic education. So not just with their academic struggles, but their peer struggles, their family struggles or just understanding their identity. So we really want to advocate for our students at the counseling department”

 

Leadership, too, is cultivated intentionally. Lyna Silva and Chloe Martinez are the Student Council President and Head Prefect.

 

Lyna Silva

                             Lyna Silva

Lyna Silva, Student Council President

“To me what it means to be a Sacred Heart student is putting your all in everything that you do, performing to the best of your ability and always keeping God first in whatever you do.”

 

Chloe Martinez

                           Chloe Martinez

Chloe Martinez, Head Prefect

“I feel like Sacred Heart College, all the students here wear their white and grey with pride and anybody that came here can say that too.”

 

For President Dr. Berta Cambranes, the hope is that students carry that white and grey pride throughout their lives after SHC.

 

Dr. Berta Cambranes

“We prepare students holistically, so when you’re getting a graduate from Sacred Heart, you know that it’s a well-rounded individual.”

 

And maybe that’s the true heartbeat of Sacred Heart College, an education focused not just on turning out graduates, but on shaping grounded, confident young people ready to give back to their communities. In San Ignacio, for Kolcha Tuesday, Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here:

 

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Area Rep Presses for Fix to Sarteneja School Crisis https://www.greaterbelize.com/area-rep-presses-for-fix-to-sarteneja-school-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=area-rep-presses-for-fix-to-sarteneja-school-crisis Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:44:46 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=83098 Tonight, the focus shifts to accountability. After we exposed the four‑year struggle of Sarteneja Baptist High School operating without a permanent home, the Area Representative for Corozal Southeast is responding. Florencio Marin Jr. says he’s been working closely with the school, pushing for a permanent […]

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Tonight, the focus shifts to accountability. After we exposed the four‑year struggle of Sarteneja Baptist High School operating without a permanent home, the Area Representative for Corozal Southeast is responding. Florencio Marin Jr. says he’s been working closely with the school, pushing for a permanent building and staying in constant contact with administrators. He also points to the wider picture, three high schools already serve the rural division, and free government‑supported education is available at St. Viator High School just minutes away. But the big question remains: what help is coming now for the students still learning in borrowed spaces? Marin told us by phone today what’s being done—and what comes next for Sarteneja Baptist High School.

 

On The Phone: Florencio Marin Jr, Area Representative, Corozal Southeast

“I want to say that Corozal Southeastfor a rural division has three high schools spread across it. One in Calcutta, one Chunox and one in Sartaneja. So we have adequate coverage of education in our area. With the Sarteneja Baptist High School we have a very close working relationship in that we’ve always been helping them. Some years back they had a, they had some bills they had to pay. We helped them pay off their bills. We’re always donating computers. They had a shortage of teachers and we helped them get another teacher and now they need another one. And we’re working with education for that. And then where they were renting the landlord had asked them to leave, so that’s why the Village Council is supporting them to use the place. They do have a land and that we are working with the government to see when they can fit it within the cycle to be able to build them a school. We also have others who are interested in helping, but nothing finalized as yet. So in the meantime, we, you know, with the generosity of the village council, they’re utilizing the community center and some other buildings near it to, to do their work. Thanks to this government, we have free education in Saint Viator. So we, you know, the whole Corozal Southeast here we have free education there. I mean, so there, there is, you know, for those who can’t, who can’t pay the, the tuition or, so they, they have that opportunity because from the surrounding villages there are buses that take them to the school.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here:

 

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Sarteneja’s Only High School Still Homeless After Four Years https://www.greaterbelize.com/sartenejas-only-high-school-still-homeless-after-four-years/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sartenejas-only-high-school-still-homeless-after-four-years Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:50:26 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=82931 Still in Sarteneja Village, there’s growing frustration tonight where a rural high school is still without a permanent home. Parents and students say that after more than four years of makeshift learning, the quality of education is slipping, and resources are being stretched to the […]

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Still in Sarteneja Village, there’s growing frustration tonight where a rural high school is still without a permanent home. Parents and students say that after more than four years of makeshift learning, the quality of education is slipping, and resources are being stretched to the limit. News Five’s Shane Williams traveled to Sarteneja today to see firsthand how the community is coping.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

Tonight, in Sarteneja Village, eighty‑four high schoolers are still learning without a real campus. Sarteneja Baptist High School, the community’s only secondary institution, has spent more than four years operating out of a community center and borrowed rooms. Administrators say they’re doing everything they can, but the lack of a permanent home is putting real pressure on teachers, students, and the quality of education they can provide. Sarteneja Baptist High is running on grit and goodwill. With only four teachers and a principal who doubles as a full‑time instructor, the staff is stretched thin just trying to keep classes going. The school has no science lab, no computer lab, nothing that most high schools consider basic. Instead, students gather for lessons and assemblies in outdoor sheds pieced together from donated lumber and zinc, a reminder of how far the community is improvising to make education happen.

 

Darnel Cruz

Darnel Cruz

Darnel Cruz, Secretary, Sarteneja Village Council

“ The last thing that I got to know was that these guys had a parcel close to the airstrip and they were looking for funding to have that building erected? If you might have noticed they’re currently using the community center, what used to be the community center, but we as the Village Council decided that we need to work along with education also. So we have given them the building for them to have their classes there. And I heard that there was plans on, on starting their, their development but there is a problem with funding in that aspect.”

 

Sarteneja is bracing for a graduating class that its only high school simply can’t absorb. Village Council Secretary Darnel Cruz, who also teaches at the local Catholic primary school, says far more students are finishing Standard Six this June than there are seats available at the already‑overloaded Sarteneja Baptist High. And with the nearest alternative school miles away, this tiny institution is not only important, it’s a realistic option for most families.

 

Shane Williams

“That’s the only high school in the village?

 

Darnel Cruz

“Yes, currently, yes. We have that high school, St. Viters one, which is some miles from here going towards the Chunox Village. But it is good to have a high school in our own community, less expensive for certain people. Yeah.”

 

Shane Williams

“So what’s, what’s the hope in terms of, for the students here?”

 

Darnel Cruz

“Well, we hope the best there are certain things that are lacking at the high school, for instance, because of space, they need a lab, chemistry lab and other things. It has to grow. But for now it’s the only thing we can do is assist with that building.  hopefully in the future, well, they will have their, their goal achieved, which is the construction of their own facilities.”

 

Parents told News Five they’re worried about the poor infrastructure and lack of resources at the high school. Management wouldn’t speak on camera. Meanwhile, students are still trying to learn without basic services or enough classroom space. Families in Sarteneja say they need officials to step in now with a real, long‑term fix. Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here:

 

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Inside the Drum Corps Powering Independence High School https://www.greaterbelize.com/inside-the-drum-corps-powering-independence-high-school/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=inside-the-drum-corps-powering-independence-high-school Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:27:19 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=82578 In every school, there’s always that one place where students learn more than what’s in the textbooks, where they figure out who they are and who they want to be. At Independence High School, that place is the Drum Corps. More than ten years strong, […]

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In every school, there’s always that one place where students learn more than what’s in the textbooks, where they figure out who they are and who they want to be. At Independence High School, that place is the Drum Corps. More than ten years strong, it’s become a force of discipline, creativity, and pure school pride. Under the steady leadership of Band Director Aretha Flores, these young musicians have turned practice into purpose and rhythm into a movement. And today, they’re doing a lot more than performing for trophies, they’re shaping the heartbeat of the entire campus. News Five’s Paul Lopez has their story in this week’s Kolcha Tuesday.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Independence High School Drum Corps has been around for more than a decade, but it truly hit its stride when Band Director Aretha Flores came on board. Under her leadership, the group stepped onto the national stage, winning gold at its first Belize Band Fest in 2023, taking silver in 2024, and reclaiming the top spot at home in 2025. With just a month to go before the 2026 competition, it’s clear that discipline is far more than a pastime for these students. It’s part of who they are.

 

Alyssa Watson

Alyssa Watson

Alyssa Watson, Senior Member, IHS Drum Corps.

“Well I just love dancing overall and I always wanted to be a part of a band. And this band is just super special to me because we all are one. We are a family and I love everyone here at the band. It makes my school life enjoyable and better because some days I can be stressed about schoolwork and just thinking about oh I have practice today and all that stress just leaves when I am dancing.”

 

Jevon Robateau

Jevon Robateau

Jevon Robateau, Section Leader, IHS Drum Corps

 “I enjoy the discipline. That always comes first. Our band coordinator pushed discipline and the love. We are like a family.”

 

The IHS Drum Corps is a family. More than one hundred and twenty members move as one, blending crisp rhythms with eye‑catching choreography to create a sound and style all their own. Band Director Aretha Flores is the head of this family, and she runs a tight ship. At the helm is Band Director Aretha Flores, who keeps the entire family running with precision.

 

Aretha Flores

Aretha Flores

Aretha Flores, Band Director, IHS Drum Corps

“The first thing we do is create our beats and that is like the hardest, because we don’t duplicate. We don’t do replicas. We try to be very creative. We have a whole world of music out there. So, I stress my students, listen I don’t want to hear what I have heard before. Afterwards it is so easy. Well, I have to have the theme. That is the hardest part for me. I have to know what I will portray out there and as a teacher I want everything to be a lesson. So, I have to create a theme and take it to the band leader, who is my son.”

 

Iley Flores is the musical mastermind. With some help from his section members, he creates the music that group dances to and the school is proud of calling its unique sound.

 

Iley Flores

Iley Flores

Iley Flores, Band Leader, IHS Drum Corps

“So I really love to listen to music. Me and my mom would play a random beat on the speaker or if we hear songs at parties, my mom would be like oh Iley I will send you this song. I would go in my room and make the song and the next day at practice I would tell my band members and we will grab our instruments and start. To me I love all the genres of music, the Spanish, Soca, Dancehall, Punta.”

 

Dejaune Cayetano

Dejaune Cayetano

Dejaune Cayetano, Bass Leader, IHS Drum Corps

“So making a beat is very hard, but Ms. A always come with ideas for us so that we can make new beats.”

 

Independence High School may have more than nine hundred students and over fifty teachers, but when it comes to the drum corps, everyone, especially the members, keeps things tightly under wraps. That means no phones during practice sessions and a commitment to never sharing band choreography and music with outsiders.

 

Aretha Flores

“One of the beauties about Independence High School Drum Corps is the diversity. If you look at the members on the band, it’s like Belize. You see Garifuna, East Indian, Mestizo, Maya, Mennonite, Creole, it is beautiful.”

 

With Aretha Flores leading the Drum Corps, students get one constant reminder: school comes first. Their grades decide how much they get to perform. It’s a sacrifice, but one the students are willing to make.

 

Veronyka Castillo

Veronyka Castillo

Veronyka Castillo, Member, IHS Drum Corps

“The discipline of the band increases my dedication towards my school work because Ms. A always puts the school first before the band.”

 

Caidyn Pandy

Caidyn Pandy

Caidyn Pandy, Flag Leader, IHS Drum Corps

“I came to this band and I had no confidence, and now I have confidence in myself.”

 

Colleen Thompson

Colleen Thompson

Colleen Thompson, Dancer, IHS Drum Corps

“Creating bonds with a lot of other people, males, females, you meet and you learn and gain experience, and you gain discipline.”

 

As these students get ready to step onto the national stage once again, they’re carrying more than their instruments, they’re carrying the values that define Independence High School. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

 

 

Watch the full newscast here:

 

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The Heartbeat of Independence High School https://www.greaterbelize.com/the-heartbeat-of-independence-high-school/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-heartbeat-of-independence-high-school Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:19:24 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=82402 Behind the steady beat echoing across the campus of Independence High School is a drum corps that has become more than an after-school activity. With more than 120 members, the group has grown into a symbol of discipline and school pride. Guided by Band Director […]

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Behind the steady beat echoing across the campus of Independence High School is a drum corps that has become more than an after-school activity. With more than 120 members, the group has grown into a symbol of discipline and school pride.

Guided by Band Director Aretha Flores, the drum corps is known for its original sound, strict standards, and a culture that puts academics first. Students say the programme pushes them to stay focused in class while building confidence and teamwork through music and movement.

“Creating bonds with a lot of other people, males, females, you meet, and you learn,” one student said.

With Band Fest just weeks away, members are preparing to step onto the national stage once again, carrying more than their instruments.

Tune in to News 5 Live at 6 o’clock for the full story.

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Gas Fumes Force Belize Elementary Evacuation https://www.greaterbelize.com/gas-fumes-force-belize-elementary-evacuation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gas-fumes-force-belize-elementary-evacuation Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:03:46 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=82351 A scare at Belize Elementary School forced an abrupt evacuation after the strong smell of butane swept across the campus late this morning. Just after 11:30, administrators activated the school’s emergency plan, calling the fire department, clearing classrooms, and alerting parents as the situation unfolded […]

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A scare at Belize Elementary School forced an abrupt evacuation after the strong smell of butane swept across the campus late this morning. Just after 11:30, administrators activated the school’s emergency plan, calling the fire department, clearing classrooms, and alerting parents as the situation unfolded in real time. The source of the fumes was a leaking gas tank at a nearby burger shop, one of two vendors the school has long worried about because their tanks sit so close to the campus entrance. During the evacuation, News Five’s Shane Williams spoke with Principal Majiba Sharp about what triggered the alarm and how the school moved hundreds of students to safety.

 

Majiba Sharp

                     Majiba Sharp

Majiba Sharp, Principal, Belize Elementary/High School

“We started smelling butane. And it got stronger and stronger. The smell was getting into our classrooms and even outside, all around the campus. And so we activated our emergency plan, which is to dismiss them right away, call the fire department so that they could address it. Seems the source is the little burger pot that’s right in front of the school.”

 

Shane Williams

“And how was the emergency evacuation executed? It seems that it’s going smoothly.”

 

Majiba Sharp

“Yes, very smoothly. We have SMS with our parents so they get a message right away. They also got an email and our – every single class has a class chat, so they will get it from me, from email and from their class teacher. So that will go out in seconds and then parents, were able to come here rather quickly. So you’ll see them being dismissed right now.”

 

Shane Williams

“And finally for me, do you expect the students to return today or that’s it for?”

 

Majiba Sharp

“No. That’s it for today. So they’ll return tomorrow.”

School officials say classes resume tomorrow, now that firefighters have secured the area and the source of the gas leak has been contained.

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New Ocean Academy Building to Begin Construction in July   https://www.greaterbelize.com/new-ocean-academy-building-to-begin-construction-in-july/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-ocean-academy-building-to-begin-construction-in-july Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:21:36 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=81852 This morning, parents, teachers, and students from Caye Caulker’s Ocean Academy packed into the village community center to press for answers, after months of holding classes in borrowed spaces, from a NEMO room to a former restaurant, while their flood damaged campus remains shut. And […]

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This morning, parents, teachers, and students from Caye Caulker’s Ocean Academy packed into the village community center to press for answers, after months of holding classes in borrowed spaces, from a NEMO room to a former restaurant, while their flood damaged campus remains shut. And tonight, Area Representative Andre Perez says the Ministry of Education is stepping in, committing to build a brand new school and working with Ocean Academy to secure a safer temporary home while that construction gets underway. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

A restaurant isn’t supposed to be a classroom, but for months, it’s been one of the only places Ocean Academy students can gather after floods, mold, and a mosquito infestation shut down their campus. Since then, teachers and students have been bouncing between borrowed rooms or logging in online just to keep classes going. It’s been a tough stretch, and Principal Noemi Zaiden says the kids are simply craving something every school should provide: stability.

 

Noemi Zaiden

                 Noemi Zaiden

Noemi Zaiden, Principal, Ocean Academy High School

“We have been asking since mid-November to be granted permission to build on the land at the back. We have a campus, and you’ll hear some more about that. Where we have, we’ve brought in the engineer, we’ve brought in the health department, and they have approved for us to use. The second and the third floor. The first floor, we can’t use the first floor. So it’s a campus that cannot host all of our students.”

 

This morning, parents, teachers, and village council members sat down with Area Representative Andre Perez to lay out their worries and get straight answers about the future of Ocean Academy. Perez told them the school has the government’s full backing, and construction on a brand‑new facility is set to start in July. But even with that commitment, everyone agrees, students still need a safe, temporary home while the bulldozers get to work.

 

Andre Perez

                      Andre Perez

Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“Remember this  meeting here we are discussing is that they are trying to present a plan to build some temporary buildings. And I understand the urgency behind it. But as I told them, it’s not just putting up a building, it has to be done the proper way. And that is why whenever the team comes in, they can inspect and give all the approval. I’m supporting it. And of course Ministry of Education is supporting it, obtain permission, but it’s okay because the campus is huge. It’s huge. But we have to make sure it’s built somewhere and it’s not going to be in any way of the construction that begins. Remember, it has to be done properly. Electricity, water this the bathroom facilities. I just mentioned to today whether if it’s I understand the amount is being invested. But if they say it’s going to be repurposed of something else eventually because you don’t want to invest a hundred  thousand dollars in something that is just going to be temporary. It has to be done with a long term because it’s a substantial amount of money.”

 

Although the school is grateful for the borrowed spaces, they are not always available for use and as third-form student Iyianni Magana explains, online classes are often difficult to follow.

 

Iyianni Magana

                          Iyianni Magana

Iyianni Magana, Student, Academy High School

“Certain subjects like information communication technology, which is ICT, it’s hard to learn it on an online platform because you can’t, you have to split your screen and then the tabs are a little bit too small for you to figure out exactly what you’re doing for that class. And in some classes they’re doing coding, which is better to do on face-to-face than online because they have stuff that easily distract you, like your phone, for example. And you’re scrolling on your phone and you’re not paying attention in class. And also it’s better doing face to face because then you’re actually actively learning in the class than being distracted at home.”

 

Perez says officials from the Ministry of Education will sit down with him and the school on February eighteenth to map out a long‑term fix for Ocean Academy and go deeper into plans for the new campus. And Principal Zaiden stresses that whatever solution they land on, it must give students a safe place to reconnect, socialize, and simply be kids again.

 

Noemi Zaiden

“We get students asking us like, when will we have our campus? When will we be together learning online, because we don’t have spaces to accommodate all our students, so we have to have a rotational schedule where some have to shift online so others can use the locations that we do have. I have to say, immense gratitude to the Caye Caulker community who have been partnering with us to just lend us restaurant spaces above bars, spaces, but for the kids it is challenging to be, shifting online because they learn of course better when they’re face to face. They need to socialize. They just need to feel like there is stability is stability.”

 

Additionally, the Ministry of Education has committed to providing all one hundred and seventy-two students with free education next school year.

 

Andre Perez

“Several high  schools across the country get free tuition free education for going to college. In the case from Ambergris Caye. I think the ones in Cayo as well, they did get that as well. And I recall speaking with minister Fonseca  back then and he has assured me that they could not do it for the last year. I was clamoring from last year. No, not because of the budget and planning. He did assure me that this fiscal year it’ll be included.”

 

For now, classes will keep shifting around the village, and some will stay online, while officials work out a new temporary solution. Britney Gordon for News Five.

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SCA Cheer Squad Powers a Legacy of Sisterhood https://www.greaterbelize.com/sca-cheer-squad-powers-a-legacy-of-sisterhood/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sca-cheer-squad-powers-a-legacy-of-sisterhood Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:41:05 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=81718 At Saint Catherine Academy here in Belize City, school spirit is more than a motto; it’s a heartbeat, powered in no small part by the energy of the SCA Cheer Squad. You may know SCA for its powerhouse volleyball team that’s been racking up trophies […]

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At Saint Catherine Academy here in Belize City, school spirit is more than a motto; it’s a heartbeat, powered in no small part by the energy of the SCA Cheer Squad. You may know SCA for its powerhouse volleyball team that’s been racking up trophies for nearly three decades, but behind every win is a group of dedicated young women lifting their athletes, and each other, every step of the way. In tonight’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, we take you inside the school where sisterhood fuels success. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

At the Saint Catherine Academy gym, the crowd may bring the noise, but it’s the cheer team that brings the fire. For more than twenty years, these spirited athletes have rallied behind every SCA sports team, keeping the energy high and giving players that extra push when it matters most. And guiding them is teacher Tamera Locke, a former SCA cheerleader herself, who now coaches the squad to step out with confidence every time they pull on their uniforms and grab their pom‑poms.

 

Tamera Locke

                      Tamera Locke

Tamera Locke, Cheer Moderator

“The cheer team is like the main support team system here at SCA so we get them ready through preparation. So it’s not just a one season just for one sport. The cheer team is an all year-round sport. So we have them practice from summer. So they have their summer practice where they come in and they do cheers. They get ready for pep rallies because that’s part of their job as well. They do pep rallies, get the school ready for games before the season starts, and then they go to the games themself and they cheer for them. with as much joy has they have.”

 

The squad is now twenty‑five girls strong, representing all four academic levels, and getting a spot on that lineup is no walk‑in. Every hopeful must push through a series of drills that test not just their athletic ability, but their commitment and their sense of responsibility. It’s all designed to make sure that when these girls step out on the court, they’re more than performers, they’re the voice that fires up the entire student body.

 

Tamera Locke

“It’s important because the team needs that support and sometimes the entire school can’t make it. And so we have a represented representation of the school here. And so the cheers, the cheerleaders, they do just that. They’re just the main support, the heart of the school.”

 

Seventeen-year-old Kalise Kisling isn’t spending her birthday with cake and candles, she’s spending it on the court, getting her squad game‑ready. As team captain, and a proud member of the cheer squad since her freshman year, Kalise sees every matchup as a chance to pump up school spirit and build even stronger bonds with the girls she leads.

 

Kalise Kisling

                       Kalise Kisling

Kalise Kisling, Captain, SCA Cheerleaders

“I feel as though we play  a very strong role in the student like school spirit section. There are days whereby it’s just us supporting our team. So I feel we don’t miss a game. And even if the student body is not able to come out, then we are always there to give the team that the moral sport that they need.”

 

For thirty straight years, SCA has dominated the Central Secondary Schools Sports Association Girls’ Volleyball Championship, bringing home gold every single season and cementing their legacy as the team to beat. It’s a badge of honor that the team wears with pride.

 

Sara Safa

                       Sara Safa

Sara Safa, Captain, SCA Volleyball Team

“I love the cheer team the cheer team. We definitely have a strong connection. They’re there for every single day game. They have not missed one yet, and they’re usually like behind us while we’re playing. So when I would go serve, they would be like, you got this, Sara. Get it in. You got it. And I’ll be like, oh my gosh, stop. You’re making me smile. You’re making me a little nervous. But their support definitely helps us a lot. It shows that. They’re by our side, despite whether we lose the point or we win the point,”

 

The team trains twice a week, ramping up to daily sessions before pep rallies. And their commitment doesn’t stop when school does, some girls even spend their summer break coming up with new chants and routines.

 

Tamera Locke

“Cheers are made up of stomps and chants that they themselves make up them themselves. So that’s what they do during the summer. And then they also do for pep rallies, they do dances, they do splits, stunts, back flips. So we have some very athletic girls here as well. So we want to make sure that they know that chair is not just being in a short skirt, but they also put the hard work and the talent into it.”

 

And helping to crank up that energy even more is Mercy the Seahawk, the school’s beloved mascot, who jumps right in with the squad to get the crowd roaring. Libero, Demi Solano, always looks forward to seeing the energy the squad will bring to each game.

 

Demi Solano

                      Demi Solano

Demi Solano, Libero, SCA Volleyball Team 

“We’re like an girls school, so a lot of sisterhood. We always support each other so much. We like celebrate each other’s success a lot and so we know our weaknesses and our strengths, so we work together to become one team and I think that’s really important for any successful team to have.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Do you think that balances out with the support from the cheer team? Is there a sisterhood there?”

 

Demi Solano

“Oh yeah, of course. I think our cheerleader just give an extra amount of support and more, school spirit to our team and just like uplifts us. If we’re like losing some points, we get that back from our cheerleader, I think. So they play a really big role in our success.”

 

At Saint Catherine Academy, sisterhood comes alive at every game, as players and cheerleaders celebrate every win together, moving as one, united and unstoppable. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

The post SCA Cheer Squad Powers a Legacy of Sisterhood first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

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Students March to a Brighter Rhythm at St. Martin de Porres https://www.greaterbelize.com/students-march-to-a-brighter-rhythm-at-st-martin-de-porres/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=students-march-to-a-brighter-rhythm-at-st-martin-de-porres Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:31:19 +0000 https://www.greaterbelize.com/?p=80653 A brand-new beat is filling the halls at St. Martin de Porres Primary School and it’s one the students won’t forget anytime soon. Thanks to a generous donation from the Fort George Hotel and Spa, the school now has a set of marching drums, opening […]

The post Students March to a Brighter Rhythm at St. Martin de Porres first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

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A brand-new beat is filling the halls at St. Martin de Porres Primary School and it’s one the students won’t forget anytime soon. Thanks to a generous donation from the Fort George Hotel and Spa, the school now has a set of marching drums, opening the door to its very first marching band. The handover comes as the hotel celebrates its second anniversary, turning the moment into a special double celebration, one that students marked with pride through a ceremony led by the kids themselves. Smiles were wide, excitement was high, and for many students, this donation represents a chance to discover new talent, discipline, and teamwork through music. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the school today, taking in the rhythm, the celebration, and the joy, bringing us the story of how a simple set of drums is striking a powerful chord in this school community.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Swift Hall was alive with the sound of drums this morning as students of St. Martin’s de Porres Primary School celebrated a brand-new donation from the Fort George Hotel and Spa. The drums arrived after the school reached out for support, answering a need Principal Roxanna Encalada says she saw on campus, for something fun, engaging, and unifying. Today, that vision came to life, as students beat out more than just rhythms, but a new sense of pride and possibility.

 

Roxanna Encalada

                        Roxanna Encalada

Roxanna Encalada, Principal, St. Martin De Porres Primary School

“We have a number of students that love to drum. So what we find out during break or during lunch break, they will just be knocking and knocking all around the school compound. So we said maybe, if we reach out to people and ask for some donations for drums, they’re going to be excited to put that skill into practice. And that is the reason that we decided to choose drumming.”

 

The donation has been in the pipeline since 2025, but was finally realized around the time of the hotel’s second anniversary. General Manager Eddison Trapp says the hotel didn’t hesitate to get on board, as the initiative fits squarely with its mission to support Belizean youth and culture.

 

Eddison Trapp

                        Eddison Trapp

Eddison Trapp, General Manager, Fort George Hotel and Spa

“The school and us felt that it’s more than the instruments. It’s given the kids, them, the avenue to look at discipline, look at structure, look at teamwork. And also for my collection. This is the first opportunity St. Martin School have in terms of a marching band.”

 

Eight new drums and cymbals were donated today, and students couldn’t wait to put them to use. Twelve-year-old Lemar Flowers was among the performers, proudly showing his appreciation for the new instruments.

 

Lemar Flowers

                    Lemar Flowers

Lemar Flowers, Standard 4 Student, St, Martin’s De Porres Primary School

“My school has never gotten a donation like this before, so I feel very happy that my school got a donation like this, and so I can play drums with my friends and have a lot of fun.”

 

Reporter

“Why do you like playing drums?”

 

Lemar Flowers

“Because it takes out my emotions.”

 

Lemar has been playing the bass drums for nearly six years and is ready to make some serious noise with his friends in the school band.

 

Lemar Flowers

“I don’t really remember, but it was a long time ago, and I played the bass drum. I really liked it, so I just kept on playing and kept on playing.”

 

Reporter

“You don’t find it to heavy for you?”

 

Lemar Flowers

“No, that’s very light.”

 

Trapp notes that the talent is evident and says the hotel is keen to continue partnering with the school to help develop it.

 

Eddison Trapp

“When it was first delivered, the excitement, I was pretty much impressed with what I saw, the drummers coming in just doing a small tune. I was really impressed with that. Because the delivery was done last week. And so for them to quickly address that situation, it was really impressive for me. Not withstanding, we are also looking to have a person come in and teach a kids.”

 

The marching band has not been officially formed yet, however, according to Encalada, the interest from students is overwhelming.

 

Roxanna Encalada

“The interest has been overwhelming and my concern right now is, where will I get more drums? Because we receive an amount today, but we have a lot of students being interested, and to me, that is what brings the joy in my heart. That they have the interest, they want to be part of this band, and they want to create a change for their school and for me, that is priceless.”

 

With enough support, St. Martin de Porres plans to expand the band to other instruments and introduce minorettes. As for now, students are being mentored by a St. Martin’s De Porres alum. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

The post Students March to a Brighter Rhythm at St. Martin de Porres first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

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