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Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Over a thousand primary school students from all over the city gathered at the MCC grounds for the annual Children's Rally. It was like a wave of red, white and blue passed over the bleachers as students all dressed in their uniforms, proudly waved Belizean Flags. Some students told us what they enjoyed at the Rally:

Student
"Miss Ernestine Carballo when she sang the song, it was awesome."

Andrea Polanco
"What do you want to say to Belizeans."

Student
"Happy birthday Belize."

Andrea Polanco
"So you all had fun here at the children's rally?"

Student
"Yes."

Andrea Polanco
"What do you enjoy the most here today?"

Student
"The dance, the singing."

Andrea Polanco
"You had a lot of fun today?"

Student
"Yes ma'am I have lot."

Andrea Polanco
"So what did you like the most?"

Student
"The National Anthem and the song."

Entertained by some of the Gold Medal performances of the Festival of Arts, the children had a wonderful time, but as Ministry of Education public relations officer Arlette Gomez tells us the aim of the rally wasn't just an entertaining one but also educational:

Arlette Gomez, PRO - Minister of Education and Youth
"The objective here is to instill some patriotism and to have them show respect for things like our Flag, our National Anthem and that type of thing to get them all together collectively so that they can understand why we celebrate in the month of September."

Mrs. Claudia Baptist, Vice Principal - James Garbutt Primary
"I think it was great it's nice to have the children out of the classroom, it kind of helps them with their sense of patriotism and I sense that they really had a great time today."

And in learning about our country and sharing in the patriotism this September, Sian Rancharan 2010 top PSE scorer and Mrs. Carol Babb Deputy CEO in the Ministry of Education among others, talked to the students about the importance of getting an education and being productive citizens. So today wasn't all fun and play as Hon. Patrick Faber believes they learnt something:

Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"Well I believe they did. It is not the most ideal learning environment. They are out in the open with their friends, a lot of talking might be going on, but they are also a lot of lessons to learn. This is an occasion for instance many of them finally get to see a Belize Flag up close and personal to study it to see how it looks and then to ask questions and things like that. They may not get all that is included in the speech, one thing I can tell know at least from what I did up here today that they should respect the anthem. They say hard ears children goes to the market two times; they had to sing the anthem twice as a result of not paying attention the first time so I know that very least they went away from here understanding that there must be more attention paid to the National Anthem."

Even after all the excitement was over some of the students showed that they were able to sing the National Anthem with lot energy and others had a message for Belize:

Student
"Belize is good."

Student
"Miss I just want them to stop the crime, make Belize have peace, that's all I want to make Belize have."

Student
"We don't want anybody more to die."

Student
"You see how they kill that 8 year old little girl in her house? That is not fair. Belize have to be one thing and done."

Students
"Happy Birthday Belize. Happy Independence Belize."

The spirit of the rally continued around 1:30 in this afternoon when the Secondary Schools held theirs under the theme "Stay in School". That gathering was held in the format of an open yard concert and saw a number of inspirational speeches delivered to the students.