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As St. Peter and Paul Preparatory School gears up to defend its title at the 2026 Prep School Championships next week, the school’s preparations have received a significant boost thanks to a J$1 million donation from Express Canteen Services.

The contribution, presented this week by Express Canteen Services Managing Director Ryan Foster, doubles the company’s support from last year and reinforces a growing partnership that school officials say has become instrumental to the development of their sports programme.

“This investment of $1 million in Sts Peter and Paul’s track programme is an attestation to the confidence I have in the ability of the principal and the coach to matriculate these boys and girls not only on the field but also in the classroom,” Foster said. “As their nutritional partner, we are extremely elated with the success of the school over the past two to three years in football, track and field, and netball. The returns on this investment are bankable and seen in the self-actualisation of the students in life after Prep Champs.

“My joy comes from positively impacting the lives of our partners and seeing those achievements. I am extremely pleased with what Ms Nugent and Coach Kirby have done, along with the PTA, to hold Sts Peter and Paul in such high esteem. We wish them every success in defending their title and guarantee them that with every step and stride, Express Canteen will be there to support one of our strongest partners. We also wish all our school partners participating in Prep Champs next week every success as we continue to feed the dreams of our students.”

Principal Claudia Nugent said the support comes at a critical time as the reigning champions prepare for the three-day championships scheduled for June 11-13 at the National Stadium.

“It has helped tremendously,” Nugent said. “This will be the second year that Express Canteen Services is coming on board with us and assisting with the sports programme. It has gone a far way in helping us.”

The donation supports not only the school’s track and field programme but also football and netball, helping to offset expenses that continue to rise each year.

“We are a private institution, and we don’t get funding from anywhere,” Nugent explained. “Everything we do comes from school fees and fundraising activities. So when support like this comes in, it takes a little bit off us as a school.”

She noted that the costs associated with running a successful sports programme extend well beyond competition days.

“Our sports programme includes feeding, lunches, gear, and all the other necessities. This has really injected some positivity into our sports programme. Our coaches have been able to do much more.”

The principal revealed that outfitting the school’s track and field athletes alone cost nearly J$500,000 this season.

“When we do the sports budget, just the gear for the athletes was close to J$500,000,” she said. “So getting J$1 million helps tremendously. We are forever grateful. Express Canteen has heard our call, seen the need, and helped us to plug the gap.”

Nugent also challenged the common perception that preparatory schools have unlimited resources.

“A lot of people think that because we are a prep school, we have rich parents and plenty of money, but that is the furthest thing from the truth,” she said. “We need support and Express Canteen has answered that call.”

Head coach Jerome Kirby echoed those sentiments, noting that the sponsorship has allowed the school to continue expanding a programme that has grown significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of our main objectives since COVID has been to increase participation,” Kirby said. “We now have one of the largest groups of athletes turning out to development meets, and that takes a lot in terms of feeding, clothing, and transportation.”

Kirby said the school’s ambitions have grown alongside the support from Express Canteen Services.

“Last year we received J$500,000, and the pledge was for J$1 million this year, so we started the season with high expectations,” he said. “Everything we did this year, we did it bigger.”

The coach pointed to escalating costs across the board, including athlete registration fees, equipment, nutrition, and athlete welfare initiatives.

“We’re already over J$500,000 just on gear this year,” Kirby said. “Track meet registration costs have also gone up significantly. We are trying to provide premium-quality support in everything we do so we can manage our athletes properly.”

Among the improvements made in recent years are enhanced athlete recovery and preparation areas at major competitions, including air-conditioned rest spaces, upgraded hydration stations, and improved nutrition support.

“We managed the athletes impeccably last year over the three days of competition, and we’re looking to improve on that again this year,” Kirby said.

While grateful for the financial support, Kirby believes the athletes are ready to reward their sponsors with another strong showing at the championships.

“Mr. Foster really believes in us, and we appreciate that confidence,” he said. “We’ll go there and put on the best show we can to demonstrate our gratitude.”

As for defending the title they won in 2025, Kirby remains cautiously optimistic.

“We’ve laid the groundwork since COVID, and we’ve seen the results,” he said. “We have the numbers, we have the quality, and we have put in the work. It won’t be easy because the competition will be strong, but I believe we have the capability. At the end of the day, the children have to go out there and get the job done.”

For Nugent, the focus remains on representing the school with pride.

“We’re going to do our best to defend our title,” she said. “We’re not going to say we’re definitely going to win, but we will go out there and compete as hard as we can. Win, draw, or lose, we’re going to finish strong.”