Academic achievement was celebrated alongside cultural pride last weekend as the First of August Movement honoured one of Buxton’s top-performing National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students during its annual Black Is Beautiful Pre-Emancipation Cultural Evening, according to a statement issued on August 3, 2026.
The recognition formed part of the organisation’s annual observance of Emancipation, which celebrates Buxton’s rich African heritage while encouraging educational excellence and community development among the village’s young people.
The evening’s highest academic honour was presented to Janae Choo of Company Road Primary School, who was recognised as the top overall NGSA performer among students attending schools within the Buxton community.
Presenting the award, organisers said the recognition extended beyond celebrating one student’s success and reflected a broader commitment to investing in the village’s future.
“We are proud of every student who attended schools within the Buxton community,” the audience was told. “Tonight, we recognise those who have worked hard, and we encourage every child to continue striving for excellence.”
In recognition of her achievement, Janae received a laptop computer, sponsored by KAMS TV, to assist with her transition to secondary school and support her continued academic development.
Accepting the award, the young scholar thanked those who had supported her throughout her educational journey.
“I want to thank my parents and my mentors for guiding me on the right path,” she said. “I also want to thank this organisation for recognising my efforts, and I promise to continue working hard and living up to this honour.”
Her remarks were met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.
The ceremony also served as an opportunity to encourage parents to remain actively involved in their children’s education.
Addressing parents, programme host and Buxton Secondary School teacher Bonita Hope reminded them that every child has the potential to succeed with encouragement and support.
“Support your children regardless of where they are academically,” the audience was told. “Today they may not have the best grades, but tomorrow they could become engineers, teachers or leaders making valuable contributions to society.”
The recognition of academic excellence complemented the broader objectives of the Black Is Beautiful celebration, which seeks to promote cultural pride, education and community empowerment.
Throughout the evening, speakers stressed that Buxton’s greatest asset is its people and that investing in the education of young residents is essential to preserving the village’s long tradition of producing educators, professionals, entrepreneurs and national leaders.
Founded in 1840 by formerly enslaved Africans who pooled their resources to purchase the former plantations Buxton and Friendship, the village has long been regarded as a symbol of African-Guyanese resilience, self-determination and achievement. Organisers said nurturing the next generation through education remains central to preserving that legacy.
The annual event featured cultural performances, spoken word, drumming, steel pan music, youth recognition and reflections on Buxton’s history, reinforcing the message that educational achievement and cultural identity are inseparable pillars of the community’s continued progress.
