Veteran educator and community leader Mrs. Alexandrina Athena Browne has been awarded the Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Merit (GCM) for her outstanding contribution to education and community service.

The award was presented during the National Awards Ceremony at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium as part of Antigua and Barbuda’s 44th Independence celebrations.

According to the official citation, Mrs. Browne has been “a pillar of excellence in education and a beacon of service to her community and nation” for more than 50 years. Her distinguished career spans the Newfield Primary and Pares Secondary Schools, the All Saints Secondary School, and the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology and Hospitality Institute, where she guided generations of students with vision, compassion, and dedication.

Through her teaching, mentorship, and leadership, she has transformed lives, inspired colleagues, and helped raise the standard of education across Antigua and Barbuda. Her influence, the citation noted, “extends far beyond the classroom.”

Deeply rooted in community service, Mrs. Browne has devoted decades to supporting the elderly, empowering youth, organizing health and outreach initiatives, and serving faithfully in the St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Her “unwavering commitment to human development, community empowerment, and moral leadership,” the citation stated, “stands as a model of selfless service and patriotic devotion.”

Her national honour recognizes a lifetime of excellence in education and her enduring impact on the social and moral fabric of Antigua and Barbuda.