Members of Oberlin High School’s graduating class of 1989 today (April 6) donated J$600,000 to the school to assist with sanitation in a bid to bolster to school’s safety measures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is the hope of the fundraising class that the donation will significantly enhance the ability of the school to meet the stipulated protocols set out by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information as well as those of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The money, raised through the contributions of 50 members of the Class of ’89, was handed over to the school’s principal, Michelle Spencer, with the presentation of a ceremonial cheque.

“I am feeling very optimistic and very grateful for the initiative of the past students to come on board at a time when we are really in need,” said Spencer on receiving the money.

“Safety is our number one priority, so most of the money we receive will be focused on buying additional sanitisers, soap, alcohol, sanitary products and masks. We had begun building a hand wash station at the lower school, however, we were not able to complete the project. These funds will help us finish the hand wash station as well as replace a water pump that was stolen by thieves in early 2021.”

GRADUATES GALVANISE SUPPORT

This all began in August 2020, when four members of the graduating class of 1989 and another from the class of 1991, began galvanising support from alumni across Jamaica, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.

Nola Wright, the brain behind the move, was assisted on the initiative by Class of ’89 alumni Neil Howell, Dennis Rainford, Winston Dawkins and Karen Gayle Danvers from the Class of ’91. She said the initiative was inspired by a newspaper article she read where similar efforts of a close friend at another prominent high school raised $300,000.

“This initiative was born out of the ‘I can do that too’ feeling. I really wanted to help my school in meeting the COVID-19 measures in order to make the environs a safe space for students when face-to-face classes resume,” she said.

“We hope that this effort will inspire other members of the Oberlin alumni to get involved and see how best they too can help their alma mater.”

In the meantime, Fayval Williams, minister of education, youth and information, commended the efforts.

“It is great when past students can look back to their schools from which they came and get involved with initiatives like these to help the school,” she said, while indicating that even as the nation looks forward to the resumption of face-to-face classes, the approach will be revised.

“We know that it’s not going to be the same as when we went into the pandemic. The children and teachers have gotten more used to technology so we are going to see a blended approach to learning as we go forward. We will still see lessons in the virtual world and with that we will be able to bring more information, more knowledge and more resources to the students so they can have a richer experience.”

Oberlin High School is home to some 1,600 students and boasts a rich 75-year history of academic and co-curricular excellence.

The institution has an enviable record as three-time winners of national competitionAll Together Sing, stellar performances in athletics and offers a wide range of traditional and technical courses with 29 Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC), two City and Guild and two National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) subjects.

MOST OBERLIN PARENTS FROM LOWER SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS

Despite its rich tapestry, the rural school faces significant challenges in funding its programmes and operations as most of its students’ parents are within the lower socio economic background.

Spencer welcomes the support of private sector and regular Jamaicans to partner with the school, noting that every donation goes a long way.

“Don’t say that what you have is too small. Our school is very resilient and very creative so whatever you can provide to help build our school, we will be more than happy to receive it. This is a community school, so when you contribute to the school, you are helping the development of the community,” she said.

Persons interested in contributing can email the school at [email protected] visit their website www.oberlinhighja.com or download the Oberlin High School App at the Google Play Store.