 A pleasant day to all students of this 238 square mile gem of the Eastern Caribbean. As we begin a new chapter in 2018, through the students movement, we have the opportunity to create bonds, discover talents, and develop skills. In the advent of a new year, the National Students Council encourages you to be expressive and confident in your abilities as you function unique roles in your schools and the greater society. In the upcoming year, we are determined to give students a voice by ensuring that there are functioning councils in most, if not all secondary and tertiary institutions, including a few primary schools. Training and equipping is critical in empowering students to take up the mantle of the students' movement by educating them on the power that they possess as students in St. Lucia. Therefore, we are also looking forward to many training workshops which will equip our students with the ability to lead and excel. Our focus otherwise will be on areas that promote not only academics, but other skills such as sports and arts, to build a generation of innovative and balanced youth while we continue to meet the needs of every student. The NSC urges you to manage your studies with excellence, remembering according to Michelle Obama, with an education, you have everything you need to rise above all the noise and fulfill every last one of your dreams. Binding these two forces creates an empowered youth who is able of making a distinct impact in St. Lucia's society. The more youth begin to realize that individually they have a voice, the more change is possible. When these individual voices are combined, the possibilities are endless. The NSC is not made up of only the seven member executives and floor representatives, but of the thousands of students with needs and daily aspirations. What is an army without the soldiers? What is a puzzle without its pieces? What is a student's council without you? On behalf of my executive and the executive of the National Youth Council, I want to wish all students and the youth of St. Lucia a happy new year defined with opportunity and success. I thank you.