27 Apr 2009
Posted by The Team Sister Borgia Elementary School, with its homage to sports, St. Maarten culture and education, won two top prizes at Sunday’s Children’s Parade: Best Troupe and Best Individual piece.
Carnival organizers applauded Sr. Borgia, the only participating school, for its willingness to join the five other troupes in this year’s parade.
Sr. Borgia bested 2007 winners Baby Rebels for Best Troupe with a 188-179 finish; the students beat the rebels for Best Individual piece at 173-147. The Dream’s Strawberry Dream-themed troupe got third place with 171 points, and last year’s best troupes and best individual GEBE Survivors finished third with 143 in individual pieces.
Baby Rebels’ “Mardi Gras – Fun at the Circus”- themed float decorated with clown mask won the Best Float prize. Baby Rebels’ wacky clown-made up performers helped propel the troupe to the Most Comical Prize.
It took judges under the supervision of St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) nearly three hours to name parade winners.
Sr. Borgia celebrating its 30th anniversary dressed students in basketball and baseball uniforms, graduation gowns, and St. Maarten-themed red, white and blue costumes for the parade. They built a scale model of the Courthouse as their float. Both survivors and rebels used Mardi Gras as their theme – one using harlequin masks and gowns and the other using circus clowns and Ferris wheel costumes.
SCDF President Kendall Dupersoy explained that judges wanted to get their scores right to ensure that no troupe felt slighted. “Especially since you’re dealing with children,” Dupersoy told reporters seconds after leaving SCDF’s festival village office with five copies of the final scores. Judging started at about 6:30pm and finished just before 9:00pm.
Dupersoy commended Sr. Borgia’s performance and presentation, urging other schools to participate in future carnival parades.
~ Written by D. Robin for The Daily Herald ~
*(PICTURES COMING SOOOOOOOON!!!)
