ST. CROIX — Tyrone Lake III and his former classmates at Alexander Henderson Elementary School had the time of their lives on Tuesday. Taken aboard the Serenade of the Seas cruise ship in Frederiksted at about 10:30 a.m., the hours that followed saw Tryone and the other students being treated to a tour of the entire ship, beginning on the 13th floor, with stops at the ship’s theater, restaurants, main lobby, casino, spa, and gift shop among a host of other spots on the sprawling vessel.
Why the big treat? Tyrone won the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) Caribbean-wide “Children’s Environmental Poster Contest”, which was conducted in 2018. The competition saw participants from 17 Caribbean nations designing artwork built around an environmental theme, this year’s assignment being “Weathering the Storm: Disaster Preparation for my Destination”.
The FCCA praised all entries as exemplifying excellence while expressing the useful depictions in which to preserve the environment on each destination. The St. Croix native’s work depicted the Ann Ambramson Pier in 2018, and how it could look in 2020.
Tyrone’s first-place victory saw him winning over competitors from Jamaica and St. Maarten, who came in second and third respectively. As a result of the victory, he was rewarded with a cash prize of $3,000, and a prize of the same amount for the Alexander Henderson School, which Tyrone attended when he participated in the competition. (Tryone now attends the Arthur A. Richards Junior High School.)
Following the tour, a ceremony was held for Tyrone on the ship, where he was recognized for his efforts and presented with the check by Cruise Director Renator Peru. Students were also given hats and bags. The ceremony was followed by an all-you-can-eat lunch.
Speaking to The Consortium following the ceremony, Tyrone, along with his Father, Tyrone Lake, Jr., said it took roughly two days to complete the art. The lake family are lovers of sea, and Tyrone has spent countless days in Frederiksted waters with his father, swimming and fishing.
“He came to me and told me that he has a poster contest to win and he needed $100,” said Tyrone Lake, Jr. The father gave his son the money, and the rest was history.
The Virgin Islands Department of Tourism played an essential role in coordinating Tuesday’s event.
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