Mt Alvernia High’s class of 1989 assists six first formers of alma mater
Published:Saturday | June 29, 2024 | 12:09 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Six first-year students of the Mt Alvernia High School in Montego Bay, St James have received much-needed financial assistance from members of the school’s graduating class of 1989, with each student receiving $75,000 in aid to subsidise their lunch and transportation costs for a year.
The students, who are each from one of the school’s six grade seven divisions and were selected based on their academic performance of maintaining a 75 per cent or higher grade average, received the presentations from the class of 1989 during a handover ceremony at the school yesterday.
Atalia Neish, one of the six recipients, was subdued but nonetheless appreciative in voicing her gratitude for the financial assistance, which will see each recipient getting $1,000 a day for lunch costs, along with transportation financing for each week.
“I am very happy about the award. I felt excited when I heard I was going to get this award, because I was not expecting it, and I am looking forward to making the most of it,” 13-year-old Neish, an aspiring entrepreneur, told The Gleaner in a brief and reserved statement.
Her mother, Christina Brown, was much more expressive in outlining her reaction when she first learned a day before the handover ceremony that her daughter was one of the recipients.
“I got the call Thursday and, after I hung up, I was screaming because I was so excited. I am very excited for what is being done today with this award,” Brown said gushing.
“I am also excited for the persons that took it out of their time and schedule to make it back to Jamaica and to Mt Alvernia, to give back to the students, based on their experience here and the struggles. With them being able to give back, I am very appreciative of that.”
The gesture was part of the group’s planned series of activities over the weekend to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their graduation from the all-girls institution, which opened its doors in 1925 and will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Carol Clarke-Andrews, part of the Mt Alvernia class of 1989’s planning committee, told The Gleaner that the gesture was borne out of discussions with the school’s guidance counsellor, following which fundraising efforts were galvanised to meet the six students’ most pressing needs.
“When we reached out to the guidance counsellor, we found out the dire needs of some of our ‘little sisters’ [students currently attending the school], and so we got together and started to raise some money in our little groups. What I learned was that the needs are lunch, as the young ladies don’t have lunch, and also transportation,” said Clarke-Andrews, a former Spanish and English teacher at the school.
“Our funds are going to supplement whatever the school is doing for our young ladies. It is $1,000 a day for lunch, and it probably may not reach where we need it to go, but we are supplementing what the school is already doing. What we hope to do, also, is for each group to continue with our chosen young lady until she gets to fifth form, so we can assist with CXC. And we also hope to create a mentoring programme for our young lady from each class, so we can help them wherever it is needed,” Clarke-Andrews added.
Kayon Whyne, principal of Mt Alvernia High, expressed gratitude to the class of 1989 for their outreach efforts.
“I am eternally grateful for the gesture, and I hope it doesn’t stop today. Our students are in need, and, wherever you can fill a gap, we are excited for it, because we know it is education that will drive our nation. So, class of 1989, I really thank you,” said Whyne.