Jamaica’s Vauxhall High School in Kingston is holding a big 50th anniversary celebration, and former students are coming together to ensure the event is a memorable one.
Initially for younger students, the school began on the site of a former cattle farm and the original teaching staff of four included the current principal, Myrtle Banks.
Later, the small institution was replaced by the Vauxhall Senior Modern School, under direction of Raymond Tavares. Named for nearby Vauxhall Ave., the innovative educational facility taught home economics, industrial arts and laboratory science. It soon became a model for other schools in Jamaica.
Over the years, with its motto “knowledge is power,” the institution has grown and transformed itself into a high school.
For information on the 50th anniversary event, call 876-928-1047, 876-930-0542, 876-374-9036 and visit https://marlonmaulsby.com/vhs/ online.
Awards and kudos
Congratulations to Felicia Persaud, CEO of Hard Beat Communications, who was named Media Person of the Year last week at CLM-TV’s event celebrating their second anniversary.
Attorney Donald Vernon was honored as Personality of the Year for inspiring people to vote and get involved in the political process during the 2008 presidential campaign.
CLM-TV show, seen throughout the tri-state area, is co-hosted by immigration expert Irwine Claire and the show’s co-producer Clement Hume. It airs on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on CIN TV, on WNYC-TV, Channel 73. Working behind the scenes on the show are co-producer Anthony Turner, program editor Basil Wellington and marketing executive Andrea Bullens.
CNN anchor Hall was 51
Popular motivational speaker and former CNN anchor Andria Hall, 51, died last week, said her husband, Clayton Sizemore. Hall was suffering from breast cancer.
After positions with CNN as a weekend anchor and FOX-TV as a national news correspondent, the Emmy award-winning journalist started SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A., a consulting firm providing media and communications coaching to Caribbean government officials, business executives in the region. Her New Jersey-based company also organized and presented several successful and inspiring women’s conferences in the Caribbean, supporting faith-based tourism.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her mother, Mabel Hall, her father, the Rev. Willie Hall, a sister, Akosua Yeboah, as well as her children, Amber, Cameron and Chase.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A. Foundation, established by Hall to train and mentor young people in broadcasting, public speaking and personal confidence.
Honoring a journalist’s life
Colleagues and friends filled Columbia University‘s St. Paul’s Chapel recently to celebrate the life of Mark Griffith, 48, a popular broadcast journalist who died late last year.
The New York Association of Black Journalists is planning to set up a scholarship in Griffith’s honor. For information, call (212) 252-5332 or send e-mail to nyabj@yahoo.com.
Protecting treasures of the sea
The Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which helps safeguard submerged historic shipwrecks and ruins, has begun the year with 20 nations participating in the program.
Barbados, St. Lucia, Cuba and Panama are four of the countries to join the effort, adopted by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) General Conference in 2001.
Correction: Last week’s Caribbeat column mistakenly stated that hip-hop performer Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G., was killed in Las Vegas. Wallace was fatally shot in Los Angeles in 1997. His murder is unsolved.
This column is reprinted from the January 11 Sunday editions of The New York Daily News. If you have items suitable for this column please e-mail them to jmccallister@nydailynews.com.
