Ms. Caribbean Alliance takes time out to Encourage the Youth

While many people are still trying to recuperate from Carnival 2008, Thea Joseph, Ms. Caribbean Alliance, is using her new-found popularity to encourage the youth.

Thea visited the students from the Antigua Girls' High School, AGHS, and the Princess Margaret School, PMS, this past Wednesday and Friday respectively. She arrived for the morning assembly so that she could address the entire student body all at once.

Among the items addressed were focusing on school work, being aware of the company that you keep, and peer pressure. She also encouraged everyone to make the most of their time in secondary school.

When she started off by telling everyone that she was going to "tell them how to K-I-S-S," I must admit I too was caught off guard. So you can imagine the relief, and slight embarrassment, I felt when she then said "get your minds out of the gutter! K-I-S-S stands for "Keep It Short & Sweet." Even the students had to laugh when they heard this.

Of course, the topic of sex was too important to avoid. However, Ms. Caribbean Alliance was unfazed by the crowd of youths before her as she so eloquently stated that "when boys look at [girls'] figures their blood pressure rises…their temperature rises…and quite often that gives rise to all sorts of other things."

But, out of everything that she discussed, the most impacting was when she left the students with a few things to remember. Specifically when she said that "the only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you." This one seemed to have struck a chord with the students as a resounding applause followed this statement.

I got an opportunity to have a few brief words with Thea after her speech. She outlined that she had wanted to do something with the students before the summer vacation, but that preparations for the show in July were very taxing so she had to scrap the idea. So when her sponsors approached her about continuing to represent them after the show, she was very excited.

Thea Caribbean Alliance Insurance Carnival Queen 2008 "I had a great time speaking to the students," said Thea. "I think I relate well with young people as we are pretty much the same age," she continued. When asked why she opted to take this route she stated "They need guidance and I think that speaking to them could make a change, even in one child's life."

I then questioned her as to why she chose these two schools to which she proudly declared that "Antigua Girls High School is my alma mater, and they are the best! Princess Margaret I did as my sponsor thought that it would have been a great school to talk to as well."

Lastly I enquired if this was the last that we would be seeing of Thea. Her response was "Not at all. I have a few other things up my sleeve, but I will keep them on the down-low for now."