Adventist Students in Grenada Experience the Bible through Art Forms

Students and teachers at St. George’s Seventh-day Adventist Primary School in Grenada recently suspended their classwork to spend a day engaged in studying the Bible in various art forms. The special day, coined as Bible Day, saw teachers and their pupils taking part in a Bible-themed program aimed at affirming the teachings and promises in the Bible through poetry, song, drama, and spoken-word activities.

The event was coordinated by the school’s spiritual committee and saw dozens of students participating in and performing presentations about the biblical story in Numbers 16, where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram conspired to overthrow the leaders of the Israelites, Moses and Aaron. For several days beforehand, students were instructed in how to study the Bible and prepare for the special day.

The day created positive excitement and revealed undiscovered talents among the children, Allison Prince, coordinator of the day’s activities, said. “One student preached a sermon on the passage, other students created a song, while others memorized and recited the entire chapter. What is most important during this day was that students understand that the Bible can be fun and that they can enjoy spending time with their Bibles,” Prince added.

The experience was very significant and inspiring, school principal Theresa Baptiste said. “We brought the young people together for the study of the Bible, and there was a spirit of enthusiasm and togetherness which brought a spiritual environment that was felt throughout the school,” she said.

Bible Day was the first of its kind held at the school.

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Nathaniel Cheddick preaches during the Bible Day program on May 13. [Photo: Grenada Conference]

Student Jasmine Hagley shares her appreciation for the program during an interview with the local news station. [Photo: Grenada Conference]

Franchesta Noel, president of the Parent-Teacher Association at St. George’s Seventh-day Adventist School, said once the children experience and study the Bible, amazing things happen with them and their school. [Photo: Grenada Conference]

Beacon of Hope

The St. George’s school has been a “beacon of hope” to the nearly 350 students who enroll each year, Baptiste added. “Through each spiritual program, prayer has been offered for many families, and the Word of God is the foundation of their faith,” Baptiste said. Approximately 45 percent of the students are not members of the church, she said, “so, this initiative is part of the school fulfilling its mission of reaching children with the Word of God.”

Jamie Gordon, youth ministries director of the Adventist Church’s Grenada Conference, said that it was exciting to see the enthusiasm with which the children were able to perform their tasks and the in-depth knowledge of the children. “I believe that it is a joint effort of the parents, teachers, and the willingness of the students to learn and grasp such things,” he said.

The initiative revived the interest of the parents and supporters of the school who attended the special day.

“The Word of God was so vibrant that day,” Franchesta Noel, president of the Parent-Teacher Association, said. “Once we dedicate our young ones to God, He can use them in remarkable ways.” She thanked teachers and school leaders for their commitment to instilling principles and values in their students. “This is what the country needs, especially now that the island is going through challenges with young people choosing violence as an option in life,” she said.

The special day was carried as a news item on one of the local news channels and drew attention on social media, school officials said.

“Our objective was clear: to motivate students in experiencing the Bible and show how important it is to face the daily challenges of life,” Clara Bhola, education director of the Grenada Conference, said.

St. George’s Seventh-day Adventist Primary School was established in 1973 and is one of five Adventist schools in Grenada. Bhola said the impact of Bible Day was so inspiring that educators are thinking of engaging the other four schools in a similar event during the school year.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.