Hampton Students Urged to Strive for Excellence

Students of the Hampton School in St. Elizabeth have been encouraged to always strive for excellence in their academic pursuits.
The charge came from Opposition Leader, Portia Simpson Miller, as she addressed the institution’s annual prize giving ceremony held recently on the Munro College campus in the parish.
She lauded the students, who received prizes, stating that, “you have done the work and have satisfied the school’s high standards. This means that you have already learned one of many secrets of success, which is perseverance.”
For those, who did not get a prize, she encouraged them to keep working hard. “Don’t be disappointed. You must discover and use every single opportunity to prepare yourself to be productive, self-supportive citizens,” she urged.
The Opposition Leader further told the students to maintain self-respect even when they are pressured to do otherwise. She advised them not to indulge in risky and anti-social behaviours that will threaten their wellbeing.
“Respect yourself. Don’t destroy your body with drug taking and sexual behaviours that put your health and life at risk. Talents and looks are not good enough. All successful persons have one thing in common – hard work and consistency. You can be anything that you want to be when you focus on those things that you can do best, and the possibilities that life has provided you,” she stated.
Mrs. Simpson Miller further commended “all parents and members of the school community, who have contributed in making Hampton School a success.”
Meanwhile, Chair of the Board of Governors for Hampton School, Donna Parchment-Brown, said children need to be reassured that “there are more people in Jamaica who care for our children. It is important that they have a reliable adult that they can turn to if there is a difficulty, and if you see something that is not looking right, don’t be afraid or ashamed to talk to an adult who you can trust.”
“Make sure that the adult that you trust is known to your parents or your teacher,” she further advised.