<Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Anthony Johnson at center posed for a photograph with awardees at the Merl Grove High School Past Students Association North East American Chapter. From left to right Denise McCalla-Creary, Maureen Samuels, Faye Williams, Andrea McDonald Blake; President of the Association, Paulette Parkinson, and Amy Allen Principal of Merl Grove High School. The awards presentation took place at the Association’s 4th annual awards and fundraising banquet at the Hilton Hotel in Green belt Maryland on Saturday
July 5.

Photo by Derrik A. Scott

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Anthony Johnson has emphasized access to quality education as an effective investment and a guarantee for future economic and social advancement when he was addressing the 4th Annual Gala of the Merl Grove High School Past Student’s Association North American Chapter at the Hilton Hotel, in Green Belt, Maryland on Saturday July 5.  Ambassador Johnson said, “all effort should be made to ensure that our Jamaican children have access to education from the basic school level to the secondary level.”  He also pointed out that “education is a major priority area for the government of Jamaica and the greater level of support is been given to the area particularly at the secondary level.”

Ambassador Johnson then commended the founders of Merl Grove High School for giving students a chance from the lower income bracket to gain higher education.  “In Jamaica there is a large amount of talent among our young people which was always there, but did not have the opportunity to go further.  The founders of Merl Grove started the school to give those students an opportunity to gain a higher education and we must applaud Merl Grove for taking that stand” Ambassador Johnson said.

 In her remarks, the President of Merl Grove’s Past Students Association North East American Chapter Andrea McDonald Blake, said “over the past four years, the North East American Chapter has awarded 15 scholarships at a cost of $12,000 US dollars.  She also disclosed that this year the Association will be awarding 12 scholarships at a cost of $6,000 US dollars.

Derrick A. Scott
JIS, Washington DC

Back to News