William Knibb Old-Girl Gives Back
My former schoolmate has come forward to set an example for old students with not only a generous gift to our alma mater, but a commitment as well to help her old school move forward.
Via the Jamaica Observer
William Knibb Memorial High School Old girl-Angella Whitter presented a cheque of $500.000.00 to the school sports department.
CEO of Whitter Village in Ironshore, St James, presented the sports department of her alma mater, William Knibb Memorial High School, with a cheque valued at $500,000.
The William Knibb alumna disclosed that the donation was triggered by the need to enhance the preparation of the school’s athletes, so that they can improve their medal tally at future ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
“I am an old student and, going to Champs over the years, I have recognised that William Knibb, which once was a school that was up there with some of the past students, including Usain Bolt, has not been getting the number of medals that it deserves.
So, I sort of looked into it and I said maybe what I need to do is to really get more involved with the school and offer some support to them; not only financial support, but physically coming here and be more involved with my alma mater and get involved with all they are doing, including sports and academics.
She noted that the donation for the sports department will be one of many such that she will be making to her old school.
“This (donation) will not be a one-off. I told the principal that I am committed to working with the school as much as I can with the resources that I have in order to help the school do a number of things that she (the principal) discussed with me. So. I am here to assist,” Whitter stressed.
Melville Weller, head of the sports department at William Knibb, was very grateful for the funding and cited that it would provide a fillip to prepare a team for the Penn Relays next year.
“It’s a great movement. This can only help to motivate the students because oftentimes they are demotivated.
“So, for a past student to come on board and support the programme in such a tremendous way, it is really something to look forward to,” Weller stated.
“We hope to use this money to help the programme to grow. We haven’t been to the Penn Relays for a number of years and we are looking forward to participate in the Penn Relays come next year.”
Whitter, who noted that Tuesday’s visit to the school elicited nostalgic feelings, also gave an undisclosed amount of cash to other students who epitomised the deportment she was accustomed to while she was a student at the Trelawny high school.
