On Tuesday morning, May 19th, San Pedro Town hosted the Primary School Festival of Arts at Sagebrush Church. The program featured music, dance, and drama. The event began at 10AM, with Teacher Andrea Nuñez serving as mistress of ceremonies and Deputy Mayor Adaly Ayuso delivering opening remarks.
The festival followed a structured program that included a prayer led by Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES), the National Anthem performed by Holy Cross Anglican School, and a welcome address from San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS). Presentations showcased a variety of performing arts disciplines from participating schools, while Dr. Odelia Caliz-Kelly recognized performers, and La Isla Bonita Elementary School delivered the vote of thanks. The Belize District Education Center also acknowledged the staff of Sagebrush Church, as well as teachers, parents, and students, for making the event possible.
Each presentation was scheduled in sequence, with adjudicators grading performances on a gold or silver scale. New Horizon Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) School’s dance performance, “God Made Me,” received a silver grade, as did San Pedro RC’s rendition of “Hallelujah.” Holy Cross Anglican’s musical presentation of “La Isla Bonita” also earned silver, and La Isla Bonita Elementary’s “Mestizo Mix” dance was likewise awarded silver. SPRCS’s “Cowboy/Cowgirl Remix” dance performance stood out by receiving a gold grade.
Drama and dance performances continued throughout the program. ACES’s drama presentation, “The Little Red Riding Hood,” received a silver grade. Holy Cross Anglican’s “Nuguya” dance and San Pedro RC’s “Maya Harp” dance each earned silver grades. New Horizon SDA’s choir performance of “We Are the World” received a gold grade. La Isla Bonita Elementary’s drama presentation, “A Kriol Market Day,” and SPRC’s “Modern Medley” dance were both graded silver, while Ambergris Caye Elementary’s dance performance, “A Thousand Years,” also earned silver.
Later presentations included New Horizon SDA’s musical piece, “Go Light Your World,” which received a silver grade, and SPRCS’s drama presentation, “Anansi Tricks Spider,” which was also graded silver. New Horizon SDA’s dance performance, “Raise Me Up,” earned silver, while their musical offering, “Holy Forever,” received a gold grade. San Pedro RC’s “Lambada” dance performance was awarded silver.
Additional entries included New Horizon SDA’s drama presentation, “I Am a Belizean Woman,” which received a gold grade; San Pedro RC’s “Salome” dance, which was awarded gold; and San Pedro RC’s “Mambo No. 5” dance, which received a silver grade. In total, adjudicators handed out a mix of gold and silver distinctions across the 20 presentations.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Mayor Ayuso thanked teachers, principals, parents, and organizers for creating a space where students could express themselves creatively. “Your effort and your courage to take the stage—every performance and every piece of art—represent hard work and passion,” she said. Ayuso also encouraged students to continue developing their talents and sharing their gifts with the community.
The grades awarded during this year’s festival will continue assisting school arts programs by helping teachers identify areas of strength and opportunities for further development. With several standout performances receiving gold distinctions, the event once again highlighted the importance of arts education and community support for student creativity in San Pedro.