A Historic Celebration: The Bahamas Makes Educational History! 

What an absolutely incredible milestone! On July 26th, 2025, The Bahamas took a giant leap forward in arts education at the 7th Annual Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project Educators Forum. This wasn't just any presentation – it was the first-ever unveiling of The Bahamas' national performing arts education standards!

The distinguished collaborative team shared their groundbreaking work with a room full of passionate educators, artists, and cultural advocates at the University of The Bahamas. After months of dedicated collaboration since March 2025, they proudly presented Eight Transformative Learning Goals:
Communication • Culture • Creativity • Critical Thinking
Collaboration • Confidence • Commitment • Community

This isn't just curriculum development – it's a cultural renaissance! The new standards beautifully weave together:
- Authentic Bahamian traditions with 21st-century learning
- Sankofa-based learning connecting past and present
- Inclusive education celebrating ALL learners, including our neurodivergent students
- Four vibrant arts strands: Dance, Drama, Music, and Media Arts

Honoring Our Champions
The event was made even more special with the presentation of prestigious awards:
- Legacy Award: Troika Hanna
- Arts Advocacy Award: Glenys Hanna-Martin
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Ralph McKinney

As Kishan Munroe beautifully reflected: "Last week, I had the distinct honour of serving as the plenary speaker and a panelist at the 7th annual Shirley Hall Bass Dance Educators' Forum - a powerful gathering of educators, artists, and cultural advocates. Our focus was the ongoing and transformative work of developing a national Performing Arts curriculum for The Bahamas, a project I'm proud to be a part of. It's a privilege to contribute."