New multimillion-dollar library for Campion
CAMPION College has, at long last, broke ground for the construction of a US$700,000 (J$60.13-million) modern high school library and media centre, thanks largely to business mogul Gordon “Butch” Stewart and his family.
The school has spent the last 15 years without a suitable library for its students. The Stewarts have donated US$350,000 (J$30.06 million) to the project, which will be named in honour of ‘Butch’ Stewart’s late son, Jonathan, who graduated from Campion in 1983.
“It’s an honour for us to be associated with such an impressive project, especially as we mark the 30th anniversary of the Sandals Group,” said Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts International and son of Butch Stewart, who spoke on behalf of his family at the ground-breaking ceremony last Wednesday.
“Campion’s influence on Jamaica cannot be overstated, and we believe our partnership will further serve to enrich the education of generations of students, who are destined to become leaders in years to come,” he added.
Chairman of the school’s capital campaign, Andrew Mahfood reported that over 450 students, alumni, parents and corporate friends had made donations and pledges of cash and services totalling US$740,000, in addition to the Stewart’s donation.
“The Stewarts’ visionary gift to Campion has inspired many in our school community to demonstrate their own confidence in our school through tangible gifts and assistance with our Vision 2020 Campaign,” Mahfood said. “We are truly humbled by the response to the campaign and especially grateful to the Hon Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and his family for this opportunity.”
Also speaking at the function, Minister of Education Andrew Holness thanked the Stewarts for their generous donation and the stakeholders of Campion for their contributions to the fund-raising campaign. He encouraged other private sector leaders and school alumni to invest in education as this would assist the Government which cannot underwrite all the costs involved in developing the education sector.
In addition to the construction of the new library, Campion’s Vision 2020 Campaign sets out to renovate the school’s science labs that have not been upgraded in 50 years. In January, the new DB&G Integrated Science Lab was opened and funding is in place to renovate two of three other labs at the school this summer.
“In only 50 years, Campion has been able to achieve great things and we give thanks for all our blessings, including our strong Jesuit roots, many talented students, loyal and dedicated teachers, and a community of alumni and parents who believe in education’s ability to transform lives,” said principal Grace Baston in commenting on the development.
The St Andrew-based institution, which has 1,400 students, has led the country in academic performance for several years. Approximately 35 per cent of its incoming students are from primary schools and, like those from preparatory schools, are among the top performers in the Grade Six Achievement Test. Campion has been awarded the Top Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and Top Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations School trophies over a number of years, based on its examination results. And it continues to see improvements in these results on a year-to-year basis, particularly in the number of students receiving the highest grades in the island and in the region.
Also, Campionites have received numerous prestigious national and international scholarships over the years, including 14 Rhodes Scholarships — with nine awardees, including the Caribbean Rhodes, in the last eight years — and five out of seven Jamaica Scholars in 2010.
Campion was founded by the Jesuits — the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order of priest —) in 1943. It was originally a small private preparatory boarding school for boys named Campion Hall. Several of Jamaica’s leading businessmen, artists and scientists attended the school, including: Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Pokar Chandiram, Byron Lee, Errol Ziadie, Monty Alexander, Richard Issa, Kenneth Loshusan, Fabian Lopez, and Joe and Sam Mahfood.
The high school, Campion College, was established in 1960 and was initially a private school for boys which started with 105 students. A Jesuit desire to include students who could not afford private education, led to the school’s leadership rendering it grant-aided — a public high school subsidised by the Government — by 1976. Campion also became co-educational in the same year when the school merged with Sts Peter and Paul High School for Girls.
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