13-time winner Ardenne High understood the assignment

Winning the prestigious Marcus Garvey Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts for 13 consecutive years must be nice. And, for the well-decorated Ardenne High School, this record win has nothing to do with any ‘Lady Luck’ smiling down on them, rather it’s all about understanding the assignment.

The awards ceremony to celebrate the outstanding performers as well as the teachers who have made sterling contribution in the annual national performing arts competitions organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), unfolded inside the Little Theatre on Tuesday. As the event progressed, it became increasingly likely that Ardenne High would be the big winner, given the overwhelming number of times their name was called to come to the stage to accept awards.

Teacher, Gracia Thompson, told The Gleaner in a post-awards ceremony interview that the “dedication [and] commitment from students and teachers at Ardenne and I think our school motto ‘with God as guide seek the best,’ continue to factor into everything that we do”.

She added, “We know that we were up against some great competition … but we continue to be so glad to be able to participate in this wonderful festival year after year because I don’t see this being offered in any other country in the world. What the JCDC does with preserving and unearthing talent in all different artforms is a remarkable thing and something that we are proud to participate in.”

Thompson, the co-curricular coordinator at Ardenne, noted that winning has boosted the confidence of the students and the profile of the institution, which is “now seen as a performing arts high school”. She was flanked by teachers, the youthful Jonathan McLaughlin, who won the award for Most Outstanding Teacher/Director Overall, and music teacher, Ojeo Sheckleford.

In order to be eligible for the top award, participants must have competed a minimum of three areas in the performing arts competition, which includes traditional folk form, music and speech, dance and deaf dance, drama and theatre arts. The institution, which has amassed the highest score based on the quality of the entries is the winner.

The nominees for the top prize were Ardenne High School; St Jago High from St Catherine, which has won the top award 11 times; first-time nominee Godfrey Stewart Performing Arts Society from Westmoreland; and returning nominees Green Island High School from Hanover and the Port Antonio Theatre Group from Portland.

EXPENSIVE UNDERTAKING

Agreeing that participating in the annual competition can be quite an expensive undertaking, Thompson still encouraged schools to enter as many events as possible and suggested fundraisers to offset costs.

“I would say to them [the schools] just push the number of items you are participating in because as you can see the awardees came from all over the island. Sometimes the arts are not given as much attention as sports or academics, but at Ardenne we have been blessed,” Thompson shared.

Guest speaker at the ceremony was Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams, who told the students that they “represent the best of what Jamaica has to offer and your achievements today stands as a testament to your determination”. She charged them to continue to use their talents to inspire others and to make your mark on the world.

“Let us all remember that as Jamaicans we are heirs to a rich cultural legacy through the performing arts and through the teachings of Marcus Garvey we are reminded of our strength, our resilience and our boundless potential. I look forward to seeing how you will continue [to] shape Jamaica’s future through the arts and education,” the education minister said in closing.

Representing Minister of Culture Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, was Dean Roy Bernard. Giving a brief overview of the awards, Bernard shared that it was “named after Jamaica’s first national hero, Marcus Garvey, who demonstrated a special affection and support for the arts”.

“His Universal Negro Improvement Association was as strong on cultural pride as it was on self-reliance and economic empowerment,” Bernard said, adding a quote from Garvey which said, “Race cannot only pay attention to the political, the economic and the religious, it has to pay equal attention to the arts.”

During the ceremony, exceptional performances came from Green Island High’s Demario Malcolm who did a humorous piece titled Anancy and Donkey; the Mona Preparatory School Class 2 choir, with We are all Made of Stars; Kelsie Spaulding of Ardenne High with a dramatic, one-woman production, titled The Will; and Seaforth Primary School, with Quadrille – Camp Style. Notably, Spaulding was awarded the Louise Bennett Award – Best Actress Overall and Most Dramatic Production Overall.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com.