MIAMI – Former students of Westwood High School in Stewart Town, Trelawny (Jamaica), have now joined the ranks of alumni associations in South Florida, representing their alma maters in Jamaica through the recent launch of that chapter – South Florida Westwood Old Girls Association (SFCWOGA).
Through SFCWOGA, the initial team of twenty members will unite with other chapters already established in Jamaica, Atlanta and New York, around one common cause to support their alma mater which has a current enrolment of nearly 750 students at the historic Trelawny institution.
President of the newly formed South Florida chapter, Ms. Melaine Thompson, said that following several meetings and an aggressive membership drive, the association was officially established earlier this month, with a traditional candle lighting ceremony cementing their relationship and bond as the embarked on a mission to assist in the development of their alma mater.
The members have set their first goal to award two student scholarships for the upcoming school year 2011-2012. Ms. Thompson also said that the ‘jippi jappa sisters’ along with their sister chapters in New York and Atlanta had now joined forces for shared objectives, primarily to promote a positive learning environment through development projects, mentoring and assistance to the Westwood family, past and present.
Principal of the institution, Ms. Karen Francis, also a 1987 graduate of the 130 years old campus, said that the institution continued to be a trail blazer in its high academic achievements especially in the Sciences, Mathematics and English, according to data released by the Caribbean Secondary Education Council (CSWC).
Last year, the school maintained a first in the Caribbean, in the Sciences – human and social biology, while they scored top achievers in 2009, in physics. Earlier this year, even chemistry teacher, Mr. Orlando Gayle was the recipient of the Jamaica Public Service (JPSCO) teacher of the year award, by the Association of Science Teachers, Jamaica, for outstanding services in his profession. As testimony to the many awards, the school simultaneously earned top place winner in the National Science Fair Competition.
The students have also earned medals from the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) in cultural programmes including culinary arts, music and speech competition.
As a demonstration of their school’s motto – “Ora Et Labore” By prayer and by Work as we continue to labour on” – Ms. Francis commended the work of the alumni chapters for their continued support and assistance in the school’s development and modernization programme which included long- and short-term objectives to improve infrastructure and facilities to enhance the learning and working environment.
Jamaica’s Consul General Sandra Grant Griffiths also lauded the efforts of the alumni associations in the overseas communities, as they continued to strengthen the bonds individually to their alma maters, and collectively within the Diaspora.
According to the Consul General, the commitment and dedication of community associations within the Diaspora was crucial to preparing and improving our youth as the future of Jamaica.
Also supporting the South Florida launch were Presidents of the sister chapters including Ms. Andrea Crossfield – Jamaica; Ms. Ann Crawford-New York; and Ms. Beverley Vassell – Atlanta.
