St. Ann School Gets JIS Heritage Publications

The Stepney Primary and Junior High School in St. Ann is the latest institution to benefit from the donation of publications on the country’s heritage from the Jamaica Information Service (JIS).
On Wednesday (October 13), the agency’s Acting Special Projects Manager, Latoya Crossman, travelled to the school, where she handed over posters of the national heroes and heroine, and the national symbols, as well as a digital video disk (DVD) highlighting aspects of Jamaica’s heritage.
Mrs. Crossman, who represented the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Donna- Marie Rowe, urged the students to believe in themselves.
She further encouraged them to strive to be heroes by performing a worthwhile deed, no matter how small. “We believe in you and we believe that we can have future heroes from Stepney Primary and Junior High,” Mrs. Crossman said.
Heritage Week is being observed from October 10 to18 under the theme: ‘I Believe in Jamaica… Our People, Our Land, Our Heritage.’ Stepney Primary and Junior High is marking the occasion, and a mural, depicting images of the country’s seven national heroes and heroine, has been painted on the front of the school building.
Principal, Cecilyn Dawson, explained that the artwork serves to remind the students of those who fought for the country’s freedom.
“We chose (pictures of heroes) as we know our forefathers have done a lot for us and of course, we want the students to realise that they were fighting for full freedom for us,” she said.
The next stop of the JIS heritage team is the Ascot High School in St. Catherine today (October 14). The Stepney Primary and Junior High was established in 1953 and has, among its alumni, late reggae legend Bob Marley. It is often visited by tourists, who want to see where Marley started his education. The Bob Marley Foundation plays an integral role in the maintenance and development of the school.