Joseph Afonso Memorial Trust's 16th Annual Student Felicitation

Kenneth Crasto of Regina Martyrum H. School, Assolna made an impassioned plea to his fellow students to root out corruption. His speech delivered with great élan and topped off with a couple of apt verses sung powerfully, brought the house down as he bagged top honours at the All-Goa Interschool Elocution Competition themed We Students MUST make a Difference in Goa on Independence Day Eve. The occasion, was the 16^th Annual Felicitation of Meritorious Students, organized by Joseph Afonso Memorial Trust, Betalbatim. Amanda Botelho of Fatima Convent who came 2^nd, spoke with excellent diction and poise as she enumerated in detail the practical and novel steps that students should take to tackle the garbage menace. Remena Rodrigues of St. Jude's, Betalbatim, who got the third prize, painted an optimistic picture, praising her village panchayat for taking practical steps in garbage management as she urged her fellow students to join the campaign. Interestingly, of the eleven schools which took part, an overwhelming majority of nine, chose We students MUST help to solve Goa's Garbage Problem, pointing to how acute the menace is perceived to be in the eyes of the next generation.  Only one student tackled We Students MUST make RTE work despite the No-detention rule, while the

1^st prize winner went hammer and tongs while tackling We Students MUST make a dent in Goa's Corruption.

Chief Guest Fr. Avinash Rebello, President of Diocesan Society of Education, praised the students for their performance. He spoke with warmth of his association with the late Headmaster Joseph Afonso and commended the Trustees for organizing the programme and especially for the choice of topics. The Sarpanch Mr. Minguel Pereira was felicitated by the Trust and presented with a Best Administrator Award, at the hands of former Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco MLA, who presided. Earlier Mr Pacheco praised the Trust for keeping alive the memory of Educationist and able Sarpanch Joseph Afonso. Sarpanch Minguel Pereira thanked the Trust for recognizing the work he and his team have put in to bag Betalbatim the Best Panchayat in South Goa Award. Guest of Honour Betalbatim Vicar Fr. Ubaldo D'Cunha congratulated SSCE students Callens Pereira, Sparsh Martires & Rezelt Vaz for standing 1^st 2^nd & 3^rd in the village. Charlton Fernandes, Tania Fernandes, Melvi Fernandes,& Astrida Diniz won top positions in their respective streams in HSSCE. Summing up the Elocution Competition on behalf of fellow judges Headmistress Carma Costa & retired Headmistress Gracy D'Silva, Engineer and writer Jose Lourenço, rounded up by giving the students tips on how to deliver good speeches. Special Invitee Panchayat Mahila Abhiyan head Prof. Nelly Rodrigues gave away some prizes while Trustees Xavier Cota and Isidorio Mendes anchored the programme  and delivered the vote of thanks respectively.