Fifty-four educators and support staff at Campion College who have given more than 10 years of service were honoured at the institution’s long-service awards ceremony held on Monday evening (January 12).
The honourees, who served for a combined 1,046 years, include former board chairman Anton Thompson; former principals, Grace Baston and Radley Reid; 35 teachers, 11 support staff and one coach.
Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, who addressed the function held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, commended the award recipients, some of whom have served up to 40 years at the institution.
She noted that the function is a celebration of excellence in education and school leadership.
“Campion College is one of our top-performing schools in Jamaica… and it doesn’t happen by accident. Excellence is really deliberate. You have to have good leaders, good chairs, good principals, and that is what [we] are honouring tonight – that long trajectory of having really good leaders at this school. I think it’s a really good example for us in the Ministry of what we are trying to do across the system, which is to ensure we have strong leadership in our schools,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.
“Campion doesn’t have to be an anomaly. There can be others in this country,” she noted.
For his part, principal Lavare Henry said that the honourees, some of whom have served under four principals, have made the institution what it is today.
He said that they have helped to shape well-rounded people, who have aided the growth and advancement of Jamaica.
He specially recognised the support staff, noting that they “provide the environment in which this excellence can be achieved, and where important life lessons beyond the classroom are learned”.
