Students from schools across the island brought energy, creativity, and a shared commitment to healthy living as they celebrated HYPE Day 2025 under the theme ‘Let’s Move – Together.’ This year’s celebration of Healthy Youth through Physical Education (HYPE) coincided with Olympic Day on Monday, June 23.
Organised by the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) in partnership with the Ministry of Educational Transformation, HYPE Day invited schools, in particular primary schools, to create engaging, physically active experiences that promote wellness. Activities ranged from athletic games and movement challenges to nutrition-focused presentations and healthy food tastings, all designed to encourage lifelong healthy habits.
In his feature remarks, Erskine Simmons, Secretary General of the BOA, encouraged teachers, parents, and students to continue championing physical education beyond HYPE Day, to help “build an environment where being active becomes second nature, a cultural norm embraced by everyone.” Simmons also applauded the students for their creativity, adding that they are paving the way for future generations as ambassadors of health and wellness in Barbados.
A key feature of this year’s celebration was a video competition, inviting schools to capture how they embraced the ‘Let’s Move – Together’ theme. The top three entries were awarded gift vouchers in the amount of $1,000, $600, and $300, respectively, to purchase physical education and sports equipment during a prize-giving ceremony held on Thursday, July 10, at the Barbados Olympic Centre.
The first prize was awarded to St. Ambrose Primary School; the second prize went to Wesley Hall Junior School, and the third prize went to St. Albans Primary School. The prizes were presented by Ryan Toppin, Acting Assistant Director of the National Sports Council, who commended all the schools for their commitment to promoting youth wellness.
In addition to the winners, other participating schools included St. Christopher Primary, A. Dacosta Edwards Primary, St. George Primary, Cuthbert Moore Primary, St. Margaret’s Primary, and Springer Memorial Secondary. Each school had the opportunity to portray its approach to the HYPE Day theme through a 45-second video submitted by June 30. The entries were scored on how well they reflected the theme.
