I would like to commend the staff, alumnae and student body of Naparima Girls' High School on an excellent publication. Having attended Naps, I can attest to the fortitude and acumen of the staff—ladies who have truly been a source of strength and inspiration over the years. Much work has been put into improving the structure of the building and various laboratory facilities as well as expanding the range of extracurricular activities. The 100th anniversary of the school is a momentous occasion and, as the publication displayed, it is plain to see the large number of successful and industrious Naps women who now take their place as leaders within Trinidad and Tobago.

As a past pupil, it makes me very happy to have the achievements of peers highlighted and applauded through a public forum. I also wish to draw attention to the fact that while these achievers deserve every bit of recognition offered, there remain many former pupils whose contribution to society warrants praise and appreciation. Therefore I would like to take the time to salute those who did not make it to the list of 100 careers.

Thank you to all the Naps women who serve the nation as domestic engineers, maternal-provision experts, family care representatives, transportation providers, sanitation specialists and those who fulfil the roles that the prestige school would rather not emphasise. We celebrate your hard work and dedication. You make Trinidad and Tobago and, by extension, the world, go round. While your alma mata may choose to acknowledge the performance of those whose job titles are four words long and those who have the entire alphabet after their surnames, please note that your work does not go unnoticed.

Growing up in the "prestige" school system can be a very tedious and demeaning experience. Women face many challenges today—the pressure to have a lucrative career, the pressure to excel at school, the pressure to support a marriage and family and the pressure to look good on top of it. What the prestige school has successfully done is to undermine those who may be considered mediocre or average and foster a "holier than thou" attitude among the potential scholarship winners.

Instead of producing well-rounded females, they have successfully manifested a population of arrogant, pretentious individuals on one hand and apprehensive, insecure individuals on the other. They have managed to fuel the inadequacies of teenage girls by setting unrealistic standards of academic excellence which results in bouts of depression, suicidal tendencies and self-esteem issues among those who just cannot seem to get that last commendation mark.

I would also like to take this opportunity to pay special tribute to those teachers who offer lessons after school and on weekends to supplement the teachings of official school staff members. Your service toward nurturing scholarship winners often goes unrecognised and I know many of those pupils who excel at exams could not have done it without you. So while you may not be part of that prestigious staff, your involvement is invaluable.

In conclusion, a message to all the little girls in the prestige schools, once-senior secondary and junior secondary, vocational centres and correctional facilities—do not let your environment define who you are. All you can do is your best. Success is not measured by your resume. The only thing that makes a prestige school different from the rest is the financial standing of its PTA. You are the most prestigious resource a school can have.

SA Kalicharan

via e-mail