Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
Students at Rousseau Primary School, St. Andrew debate the favourites in the school's Cultural Rising Star competition. Rousseau was the school attended by 10-year-old Sasha-Kay Brown who was killed along with her relatives when their house on Barnes Avenue, off Maxfield Avenue was fire-bombed on Wednesday morning. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
FOURTH-GRADER SASHA-KAY perished in the early hours of Wednesday when her home in Maxfield Avenue was firebombed by gunmen.
But despite the death of a student Rousseau Primary School was yesterday doing its best to carry on as before. The school's Cultural Rising Star Competition had its first round, two groups were eliminated, with the four remaining to contest the final on Friday 14.
"She was a very good and loving person, she was driven with her school work, she wasn't the fastest student but she would always ask if she didn't understand," said class teacher Marsha Beckford of her late pupil.
HAVING NIGHTMARES
"Today her classmates said they were having nightmares and yesterday they were very saddened. As days go by I expect it will get easier for them but every day they enter the classroom they will be reminded."
Principal Aldith McDaniel Jones' frustrations were plain: "As a school in the community we're not really helpless but we wish to change situations but we can't, so I suppose you could say we are helpless."
Counselling, and being able to express themselves in their journals, said Ms. McDaniel Jones, was helping the children cope with what had happened. "But most of the talent show is giving the children the children an important release, despite everything we couldn't cancel it."
RISING STAR FAVOURITES
Outside the Principal's office children were busy discussing their favourites for the Rousseau first Rising Star. A song about ackee by contestant four deserves the title said fourth-grader Jani McKenzie since "he's my best friend's brother and he sounds good."
But contestant number six was the overwhelming choice of students informally polled by The Gleaner. Fourth-grader Danique Wilson was especially convinced. "All my classmates are going to vote, and they're twenty-four of us so he's going to win."
"The children have already put a lot of effort in with rehearsals and making their own costumes. However, we lack a prize and it would be great for the children if a sponsor could help," added the Principal.
