St. Kitts-Nevis to debut at Penn Relays

Kylla Herbert, president of the South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization (SJCCDO), says that the Charles E. Mills Secondary School (CEMSS) in Sandy Point, St. Kitts, will be the first school from the twin-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis (SNK) to participate in the illustrious Penn Relays Carnival at the Franklin Field Stadium at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Herbert, who is chairperson of the SKN Penn Relays Committee, told Caribbean Life on Sunday that CEMSS athletes will compete in the April 25- 27 event.

She said CEMSS is the eight-time consecutive winners of the St. Kitts and Nevis Inter-School Championships.

“It’s wonderful to see St. Kitts and Nevis be represented at the Penn Relays since we have been working with CEMSS for the last four years,” Herbert said. “They have overcome many obstacles to make this journey a reality.

“The coaches and support staff have worked diligently to prepare for the Penn Relays,” she added. “The athletes have trained hard, demonstrated their ability to perform well at high-level athletic competitions. We look forward to welcoming the Charles E. Mills Secondary School to Philadelphia.”

Herbert also said that she was “excited” be a part of CEMSS’s journey, stating that it consists of many hours of planning and coordination.

“It is great to see this dream come to fruition,” she said, adding that her “many years of volunteering at the Penn Relays and with Team SVG International Support, Inc. encouraged the idea to seek out schools in St. Kitts and Nevis to be represented at the Penn Relays.”

Herbert said Team SVG International Support’s Director Vincentian James Cordice has aided her committee by providing “expertise and guidance with navigating the process of attending the Penn Relays.”

Team SVG International Support is the lead organization that has coordinated participation at the Penn Relays from the Thomas Saunders Secondary School and the Boys Grammar School in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Cordice has also assisted Stann Creek Ecumenical High School in Belize in their maiden trip to the Penn Relays a few years ago.

Herbert said members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Tri-State Association and the Sandy Point Benevolent Society have pledged to collaborate in ensuring that CEMSS athletes and staff have “a pleasant experience while at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.”

“We are seeking additional support for this great endeavor,” she said, disclosing that a 16-member contingent from CEMSS will be in Philadelphia for seven days.

Photo left, Kelvis Alford, deputy principal of the Charles E. Mills Secondary School, Niketa Isles, teacher and team manager at Charles E. Mills Secondary School, and Kylla Herbert, president South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development organization during the second in-person meeting at CEMSS regarding Charles E. Mills Secondary School’s participation at Penn Relays in February 2023. Photo by Gregory Elliott

The contingent comprises 12 athletes – seven boys and five girls – and four staffers: Principal Eisha Jackson, coaches Roatter Johnson and Lawson Webbe, and team manager Niketa Isles.

“Participating at the Penn Relays will give the athletes the opportunity to showcase their talent and represent St. Kitts and Nevis on an international platform,” said Herbert, stating that the journey to attending the Penn Relays has been “an arduous process with many obstacles that CEMSS has worked diligently to overcome.”

She said CEMSS started their journey to participate in the Penn Relays in 2020 but was delayed for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, issues acquiring visas and other factors.

Livingston Benjamin, of Butlers Village, Nevis said: “I believe it will be a great experience for the SKN athletes to participate at the Penn Relays.

“Being in an international atmosphere and competing with some of the top athletes in the world would be good for them,” he said. “The competition will be valuable, especially to those athletes pursuing international athletics career, and provides spotting opportunities for college and professional talent scouts.

“Participating in the Penn Relays can help the athletes build confidence and improve performance,” Benjamin added.

Isles said CEMSS was “very satisfied with the ongoing support thus far,” adding: “We are extremely grateful for the assistance, as it has made our preparations a lot smoother than one would expect.”

Nonetheless, Herbert said financial and in-kind donations are still needed to assist the contingent with accommodation, food, beverages, healthy snacks and ground transportation.

“All St. Kitts and Nevis organizations, individuals and friends are asked to collaborate on this initiative to help showcase talent from St. Kitts and Nevis,” she said.

“Taking part in this Penn Relays initiative aligns with the South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization’s commitment to assisting persons in St Kitts and Nevis,” added Herbert, disclosing that SJCCDO has donated sports gears to schools in St. Kitts and Nevis, and items to support the elderly at Cardin Home in St. Kitts and the Flamboyant Home in Nevis.

These items include walkers, wheelchairs, pillows, adult diapers, canes and diabetic testing supplies.

Webbe and Jackson said in a joint statement that CEMSS is “fortunate and privileged to be the first secondary school from St. Kitts/Nevis to be afforded the opportunity to be invited to a prestigious international track and field event such as the Penn Relays.”

They said CEMSS, one of nine secondary schools in the federation, “has been dominating the inter-high school track and field championships for numerous years since the meet’s existence in 1977.

“We would have won some 28 years out of the championships’ 45 years,” Webbe and Jackson said. “Currently, we are the reigning champions for eight consecutive championships after regaining the championship in 2014.

“We are on a high from winning the inter-high school track and field championships, and will be featuring some of those athletes in Philadelphia,” they added. “We are feeling ecstatic to represent not just our school but our country. We plan to make the experience and exposure worthwhile.

Webbe and Jackson said CEMSS’ dominance has also contributed to numerous medals for team SKN at the annual regional CARIFTA games.

“The athletes will benefit greatly from this experience by gaining international exposure through competing with other schools from the US and other countries,” they said. “They will also gain first-hand experience and insight into how other schools or young athletes like themselves prepare and compete.

“They will meet new people and make friends, establishing relationships with peers, coaches and scouts from universities, etc.,” they added. “This opportunity will provide inspiration for more of our athletes to want to travel to compete, as well as bring a more disciplined mindset and work ethic to advance in the sport as professional athletes to represent both school and country.”

Herbert can be reached at 267-257-9625 or at sjcaribbean@gmail.com to discuss ways to support athletes from CEMSS at the prestigious Penn Relays.