by Derrick Scott
WASHINGTON, DC –This year’s David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship Red-Carpet Gala, scheduled for Saturday, March 8, 2025, will honor two remarkable Jamaican philanthropists from the Washington, DC region with special acknowledgment.
David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship Honorees
The scholarship organization located in Washington, DC, will honor distinguished dental surgeon and Kingston College graduate Dr. Maurice Miles. Additionally, Donald Christian, Chairman of the Jamaica Howard University Affinity Network and board member at Howard University, will also receive recognition.
Both Mr. Christian and Dr. Miles are being honored for their generosity to the Jamaican community. They are also recognized for their leadership. Dr. Miles is acknowledged for his medical work in the United States. Mr. Christian is a partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Washington, DC. He is recognized for his leadership in business and the community in the U.S.
Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Audrey P. Marks, is the patron for the gala. The event will be held in the atrium of the National Education Association building in downtown Washington, DC. She will give a speech and present the awards.
Chairman of the Foundation, Christopher Hunt, remarked, “Each new year brings renewed optimism to our mission of offering scholarships to deserving students at Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High School (Calabar).” Scholarship awards to designated beneficiaries honour the late David ‘Wagga’ Hunt, youth mentor and coach for whom the scholarship is named. “It is in that spirit that we always strive to set new fundraising targets as we seek to increase disbursement amounts and the number of scholarships awarded yearly.”
“For the 2023-2024 school year, “we increased our scholarship amount by 50% – to J$150,000 per student. Recipients are funded, starting from Grade 8 through to Grade 13.”
The scholarship covers tuition, books, lunch, and other school related expenses. “To date, we have disbursed over J$36 million in scholarships and school related expenses. In addition, we provide personal computers for all our scholarship recipients.”
Mr. Hunt stated that scholarship awardees should demonstrate strong academic achievements, participate in extracurriculars, and show a genuine need for financial support.
The chairman said that the number of awards has increased in recent years, and the goal is to continue offering scholarships to deserving students at the beneficiary schools.
“As we embark on our 16th year of operation and the 11th year of our in-person Gala, we are pleased with our growth and the deepening bond with the community. We are very active with the Jamaican students matriculating at Howard University in Washington, DC, through mentoring and providing a homely atmosphere.”
David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship
Established in 2009, the David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship was named for the late Kingston College (KC) past student, football coach and co-founder of Meadhaven United Football Club. He died in 2007.
David “Wagga” Hunt is a well-known track and field analyst in Jamaica. He once served as the general secretary of the Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association. He was also the general secretary of the Minor League Football Association. Additionally, he was the coach for Jamaica’s national under-17 football team. Hunt has coached the Manning Cup teams for KC, Calabar, and Meadowbrook High School.
