Jonathan Grant High School defying odds, raising the bar

A new era has dawned at the Jonathan Grant High School in St Catherine. Once classified as an underperforming school, the pendulum has shifted significantly over the last twelve years, with the school’s administrators ensuring that the students understand what excellence is, and that they strive to attain success despite the challenges.

At the institution’s recent graduation ceremony, principal Dr Oneil B. Ankle, who has been leading the developmental change, reported that the school family continues to change the lives of hundred of students in the parish and beyond.

“Forty-three years is not a long time, but we have certainly done well, when compared, pound for pound, with many of the older learning institutions across this country. I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that we are looking good though we have far to go. Many of our former graduates are showing Jamaica that what we are doing here at Jonathan Grant High is off the chart,” Dr Ankle said.

From the cohort of 316 students, 195 or 62 per cent graduated from the institution, earning four or more subjects to qualify for the momentous occasion. At the CSEC Level, students received 100 per cent pass rates in additional mathematics, industrial electrical technology, industrial mechanical engineering technology, physical education and sports. The school saw an overall pass rate of 75 per cent, a four per cent increase in comparison to last year’s data.

At the CAPE Level, students returned 100 per cent pass rates in accounts, chemistry, art and design, physical education and sociology. Most students at this level received percentages over 80 per cent in the other subject areas including pure mathematics, physics, law, economics, information technology and tourism.

“Despite the difficulties we face each day, we are advancing with fervour and passion, creating a culture/ethos of excellence, greatness and success. Considering all that we have been through, I must congratulate and shout praises to our teachers for pulling out all the stops, thus giving the students all that was required to prep them for CSEC & CAPE, City and Guilds, and the NQVJ Examinations,” Dr Ankle said.

“Twelve years ago, the bar began raising as it relates to academic pursuits, discipline and so on. For me, raising those bars was easy. The hardest part of all this, for me, is maintaining the high standard set. It is a daily ritual, that is so painful sometimes,” Dr Ankle added.

TENACITY AND RESILIENCE

Guest speaker and principal of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, Dorrett Campbell, applauded the graduates for their consistent efforts over the years, and for performing at the highest level to attain graduation status.

“When you started your journey at Jonathan Grant High School, you might have been able to predict with a fair amount of certainty that in 2023 you would come to the end of that season and step into another. But you didn’t know that you would have encountered so many crisis C’s: crime, corruption and the worst of all the great tribulation of COVID-19,” Campbell said.

“You – class of 2023 – hold a special place in the history of our country, because you dared to defy the disruptive odds of two years of online uncertainties and challenges to sit here today as a testament to your tenacity and resilience. There was none like you before you; there is none like you in this space, and there will be no other like you here again,” she added.

In relating her own journey, as student and as an educator, Campbell implored the students to chart their own journey, and build their own legacy for others to follow.

“Sometimes we limit ourselves by believing in the limitations that others impose on us. But I want to say to you this morning: No mek nobady put yuh in a box like a rectangle – oh no! Don’t small up yourself to make room for bullies or people who want to dumb you down,” Campbell said.

“Make sure you step out there with a sense of passion and purpose for in times when the environment becomes hostile or turbulent, it is that deep sense of purpose and passion that you have of where you want to go and what you want to be that will give you the impetus to continue your journey in the face of searing criticisms and obstacles,” Campbell added.

In the principal’s report, the audience was also informed that the Jonathan Grant High School is also excelling on the field of play with their football, netball, cricket, rugby, table tennis and track and field teams performing well during the academic year.

The Manning Cup team entered this year’s ISSA/Manning Cup competition. They placed second in their group amassing a total of 21 points and advanced to the round of 16. This year the team scored a total of 34 goals and lost one game in the first round.

Unfortunately, in the round of 16 they lost to Mona High School and went on to participate in the Walker Cup, which saw the school advancing to the quarter-final. However, despite a valiant showing, they were defeated by Jamaica College.

A small team entered the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Boys and Girls’ Championships this year, where they finished 22nd with seven points. Michael Neil was responsible for those points, winning a silver medal in class 2 high jump with a leap of 1.90m. This represents the school’s first Championship medal in about 25 years. Michael did not stop there, as he was crowned under-17 Carifta Games high jump champion with a leap of 1.95m.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com