Schools in Portland Welcome Olympians

Olympians, Sylvia Grant and Richard James were warmly received by their alma maters, Port Antonio High School and Titchfield High School, respectively, when they visited the institutions, recently.
There was an outpouring of love from the teachers and students, who expressed their admiration and appreciation for the athletes by presenting them with gifts and providing them with entertainment during the day.
Miss Grant, who graduated from Port Antonio High in 1981, was a member of the Jamaican team, which competed in the Paralympic Games, held recently in Athens, Greece.
She participated in the discus and javeline throwing events of the competition.
A graduate of Titchfield High in 1999, Mr. James was a member of the 4×100 men’s relay team at the Summer Olympic Games, held in Athens in August.
Miss Grant was welcomed by Principal of Port Antonio High, Errol Harris, who introduced her to staff members and students. She was invited to be the special guest at a concert and exhibition staged by the school. She also posed with members of staff and students for photographs.
At Titchfield High, a short welcoming function was held for Mr. James, during which he was presented with a vest and track suit by the school. He in turn presented the school with four pairs of track shoes, along with the one he used during the Olympic Games.
In a short address, Mr. James said he was very appreciative of the values he had acquired from his association with the school, noting that those values have been instrumental in assisting him to achieve success on the track.
He urged the students to embrace the principle of hard work and determination in their effort to excel in whatever they did.
In interviews with JIS News, both athletes expressed pleasure at being able to visit their alma maters and to share their experiences with staff and students.Mr. Harris and Orel Dunstan, Sports Master at Titchfield High thanked the athletes for taking time out of their busy schedule to visit the schools, and expressed confidence that their visit would impact positively on the students.