GREAT BAY, St. Maarten: Sjemila Williams-Webster and Felix Richards will headline the speaking program at St. Maarten’s first Back 2 School Expo on Sunday, August 9, with keynote addresses focused on student readiness and parent-child communication.
Williams-Webster will speak on “Ready, Set, Succeed!”, while Richards will address “Help, My Child Doesn’t Listen! Help, My Parent Doesn’t Understand Me!” The keynote sessions will be followed by expert panel discussions examining real-life school challenges, student well-being, family communication and the support systems available to young people and parents.
The Expo, organized by Xtratight Entertainment, will run from 11:00am to 5:00pm with free admission. The inaugural event was created as a one-stop community experience where students and parents can connect with schools, businesses, government agencies, health organizations, community groups and other services ahead of the new academic year.
The speaking program begins at 12:05pm with Sjemila Williams-Webster, who will deliver the first keynote address under the theme “Ready, Set, Succeed!” Her presentation will focus on preparing students mentally and practically to approach the new school year with purpose and confidence.
The keynote will be followed at 12:20pm by the first panel discussion, “Balancing Real-Life School Challenges,” examining some of the everyday pressures students and families must manage alongside academic expectations.
The discussion will be moderated by Charity Dunker and will feature occupational therapist D’Antoinette Roger-Sorton, social worker Milangela Francisca and teacher Tonisha Morris. Together, the panelists will bring perspectives from education, social support and child development to a conversation aimed at helping parents better understand the challenges students may encounter.
At 2:45pm, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs will address the gathering on “The Future of Education in St. Maarten: Preparing Our Students for the Upcoming School Year.”
The Minister’s address will provide families with an opportunity to hear directly about education as students prepare to return to classrooms for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The afternoon program will continue at 3:00pm with keynote speaker Felix Richards, who will tackle one of the most familiar sources of tension between young people and their parents.
His presentation, “Help, My Child Doesn’t Listen! Help, My Parent Doesn’t Understand Me!”, will look at communication between parents and children and the difficulties that can develop when both sides feel they are not being heard.
Richards is a longtime community and law enforcement professional who has worked extensively with schools, young people and communities on St. Maarten. His community involvement has included youth engagement, school safety initiatives and programs aimed at strengthening cooperation between residents and public institutions.
His keynote will lead directly into the second panel discussion, “Real Conversations, Real Solutions,” from 3:10pm to 3:50pm.
Also moderated by Charity Dunker, the panel will bring together Court of Guardianship representative Marciano Geerd, clinical psychologist Dr. Tameka Lambert and inclusive education consultant Alisha Brookes.
The discussion will focus on the realities facing children, teenagers and parents, and the different forms of support available when families are dealing with behavioural, emotional, communication or educational challenges.
The formal program will open at noon with remarks from Xtratight Entertainment’s Bertaux Fleming. Exhibitor stands will be open from 11:00am to noon, again from 12:40pm to 2:45pm and following the final panel from 3:50pm until the Expo closes at 5:00pm.
The Back 2 School Expo was launched as more than a traditional school-supplies event. Organizers have positioned it as an annual platform connecting education with healthcare, family support, businesses and community services. It is being organized in partnership with F.O.C.U.S. Foundation.
Families will be able to visit exhibitors offering products, information and services relevant to the school year while also accessing professionals who can provide guidance on issues extending beyond books, uniforms and classroom preparation.
The combination of keynote addresses, panel discussions and exhibitor access is intended to give parents and students practical information they can take with them into the new academic year, while creating space for conversations about student well-being, family communication and the broader support systems needed for young people to succeed.
The Back 2 School Expo takes place Sunday, August 9, from 11:00am to 5:00pm at the Aleeze Convention Center in Madame Estate. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
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