The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step
The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step
Welcome to our new website and our journey towards a world-class St. Cyprian’s Preparatory School. As our title suggests, we’re in this for the long haul. The launch of our website is by no means the St. Cyprian’s Development Foundation’s (SCDF’s) first step on this journey, but we’re particularly excited to launch our website because this is our first step on this journey with you!
Now, we did say this is a long-haul endeavor. It started back in 2019 when we visited our alma mater and decided to come alongside St. Cyprian’s to help restore it as a premier preparatory school and transform it
into a world-class institution for the benefit of Highgate and the wider community. Part of the long haul was many a meeting late into the night. We are deeply grateful to our spouses, significant others, and even our pets (thank you ACE!) who generously lent us to the cause as we painstakingly charted our course ahead. We had no idea what it would take to get us this far, but we wouldn’t trade the journey for anything, and we are
excited to be gathering momentum. What started as the Steering Committee of the St. Cyprian’s Preparatory School Alumni Association (SCPSAA), which was incorporated in 2020 in Jamaica, morphed into the Board of the St. Cyprian’s Development Foundation (SCDF), which was incorporated in 2020 in South Florida (read more in About Us, The SCDF Story, and in our FAQ).
We had every intention of coming out of the blocks sprinting but given the scale of the task ahead of us we will be pacing ourselves. Pacing ourselves means leaving room for growth and not trying to cover all the ground at once—only to run out of breath. With time the website will grow, and you will see more on key people and events of our School’s history, such as the formidable Esther Saunders, a former principal, and iconic figure, who did so much to place St. Cyprian’s on the map of schools to be reckoned with in Jamaica. Likewise, we will have a proper sit-down with former principal Rita Campbell and the family and estate of the late Pearl Morris, both stalwarts in their own right, to tell their story too.
Our current principal, Marjorie Tracey, is cutting a figure of her own and a legend in the making as she pilots St. Cyprian’s through these challenging times. For now, we have a quick interview with her caught on the run, but we will also be sure to have a proper sit-down with her so she can tell you the full story of what it takes to keep St. Cyp’s running and to share a bit more about her life as principal. Spoiler alert: It’s a lot of juggling and depending on the kindness of strangers who have become friends.
To our fellow Alumni, rest assured that we know there are as many life experiences as there are alumni. We know that for some of you, it will take a lot more than just a WhatsApp message to give you the big picture or to get you to dip into your pocket. For many of you, life right now may even be a struggle, especially in these troubled times when many of us have lost loved ones and even jobs. We feel for you. And yet, even in the midst of the pandemic, some of you are thriving and all you need is more concrete information on where and how exactly you can help St. Cyprian’s.
Our Website
This website is a place where we can come together as a community of alumni, parents, neighbors, corporate partners, and donors to see where we’re going, how we can help, and how we can make the vision a reality. You can also link here to the alumni Facebook page to catch up with old friends and to keep abreast of events and activities planned. We hope to give you a closer look and help you get a feel for what is at stake.
Next Steps
We are now launching our fundraising drive for Project I – Student Sponsorship. This will formalize and expand on existing sponsorships quietly initiated by generous alumni years ago.
You will be pleased to know we are in talks with a well-known educator who is willing and able to implement the flagship Master Development Plan, our Project III to enhance St. Cyprian’s curriculum and teaching staff. You will be hearing more about this soon, as there will be an immediate need for alumni and the entire School community, corporate partners, and donors to help us fund this initiative, which will be the bedrock of the School’s development.
Even more immediate than the teacher recruitment and development plan, is Project II – School Premises, with assistance by Food For The Poor Jamaica to help SCDF upgrade and repair the existing school plant. This project is a huge undertaking necessary for the safe and comfortable accommodation of students and staff. Students, staff, and parents will endure some inconveniences while the repairs are being done, but they are convinced of the long-term benefit and embrace the challenge. We salute them and encourage them to hold tight and stay focused in this time. Your donations to this effort will be greatly appreciated.
When you click on the DONATE button, you will see the current projects and how to contribute to them or make donations to our General Fund that the Foundation allocates where help is most urgently needed.
Thank you
We must pay a special tribute and express our heartfelt appreciation to all those who gave from the moment they heard what we were doing. As Nehemiah said when he was rebuilding the Jerusalem wall: “I am doing a great work.” There is a faithful core of supporters who have believed in us from the beginning and gave generously of their money and time because they know we are doing great work from our hearts. We appreciate you so much and we will be forever grateful to you for helping us get this far. Stephen Johnson
gave generously of his time and legal expertise, Sakina Johnally, Ian Forrest, and Dustin Bedward rallied the troops and got the ball rolling back in 2018 and even though they are no longer serving in the same capacity we are forever grateful to them for their assistance. Yolande Ramsey ran a teachers’ workshop in 2019 and there are others who have been undergirding us in prayer and are always there to lend moral support—a contribution we count as equally important in this great work. We know that as things take shape, we will all be able to find a niche in which we can serve, whether for the first time or again. Please let us know too how you can serve, as there are many subcommittees waiting to be launched.
We Need You
St. Cyprian’s cannot develop into the world-class school we envision without your help. We simply cannot do it without you. This is the place to catch the vision and run—or better yet, walk with it one step at a time. In the process, please share your resources in cash or in-kind with us. We need your talent and time too. What you see here today is the fruit of many hours of time and money given by SCDF Board members and a few other kind alumni who gave of their own resources even when they were feeling the pinch. Many thanks to you all!
Give us your feedback too. Let us know how we can improve, what you’d like to see, and more importantly, how you can help. So far, it’s just been five of us doing what we can in between our full-time jobs and family commitments—and it has been a huge sacrifice of time and finances. Now, we need more alumni and partners on our Board and Steering Committee to share their perspectives and to get the work done.
Just as a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, let us also remember the African proverb that is a perfect complement: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” So, let’s embark on this journey together…
One.Step.At.A.Time.
