LELEITH HODGES, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

                    It was the year 1972 when the Caribbean nations, as a show 

                    of unity, staged the inaugural Carifta Games in Barbados. A

                    little known high school from the rurals of St Mary, opened 

                    only a little over a decade prior to this event, introduced to

                    the islands and the rest of the world, what track and field 

                    factory they had created in the hills of Highgate by churning 

                    out gold medalists and world class sprinters at this event 

                    and other international  meets for decades to follow. 

                   When the starter called the women under 20 100m finalists

                   to their blocks and subsequently fired the shot, it was St

                   Mary High School's Leleith Hogdes who left everyone in her

                  dust as she stopped the clock at 11.7 seconds beating

                  Debbie Byfield, also from Jamaica, to take the gold. Leleith,

                  St. Mary, and Jamaica were elated as she (Lelieth) had set

                  the stage for what would become a Jamaican dominance

                 of the Carifta Games in subsequent years. Leleith would

                 go on to a successful college and international career

                 representing Texas University and Jamaica, respectively.

                 In 1978, while a freshman at TWU, during the AIAW out-

                door track and field championships in Knoxville, Tenn.,

                Leleith Hodges would  produced the fastest time over

               100m that year by any woman on US soil when she clock-

               ed 11.05 (wind assisted) on the first day of competition.

               She went on to establish a new meet record - this after 

               running a blistering 11.18 in the finals and in the process

               beating legendary track star Evelyn Ashford who finished 

               second in 11.42. Two weeks later at a meet in LA, Leleith

               ran 11.14 in the 100m which established a new Jamaican 

               record over the distant. Hodges had hoist herself to the

               number two ranked sprinter in the world behind Marlies 

               Gohr of East Germany. That year, 1978, Leleith Hodges

               was named Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year. She com-

               peted for Jamaica in three olympics - 1972, 1976 and 1980.

               Leleith Hodges graduated from TWU in 1982 with a B.S. in

               physical education. In 1999, she was inducted in TWA Hall 

               of Fame. She now resides in California with her husband 

               and their three children.

               Shelly-Ann Fraser is often compared to Leleith Hodges.

              And so for all this, we are proud of you Ms Leleith Hodges. 

                                                 

               Leleith Hodges (left) racing to victory

 

      KIMONE PHIPPS, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

      Born to Bevan and Nigel Phipps, Kimone was always a bit

      different from her peers since she always find something

      studious to do during her spare time - usually studying or

      surfing the internet looking for something to enhance her

      already enriched intelligence.

      Her hard work and dedication would see Kimone excel in

      her academical persuits as she finished with no less than ten

      passes in her Caribbean Secondary Certification Examinat-

      ions. She would go on to become an integral part of the

      school's debating and also the Key and School Challenge

      Quiz clubs.

      And so for all this, we are proud of you Kimone Phipps.

                              

                                                  Kimone Phipps

 

    THE ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL CADET UNIT - A SUCCESS STORY

    The St Mary High School Cadet Unit has been recognized  for

    it's outstanding achievements by local and international dignit-

    aries on several occasions. The unit has been awarded the

    Ruel Vaz Trophy an immpressive 13 times. The winning years

    are as listed: 1981, 1984, 1985, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998,

    1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2009.

    Between 1995 and 2003, St Mary High School had the larg-

    est number of participants to ever win Gold, Silver and Bronze

    medals in the Duke Of Edingburgh Awards.

    In 2006, three members of the unit who competed for the

    JCCF national shooting team which competed against the

    rest of the Caribbean , won the P J Patterson shooting

    competition . One of it's three members was placed sec-

    ond in the competition and was awarded a marksmanship

    badge. All three participants were awarded the command-

    ants commendation medal.

    In 2008, a eight member team won second place at the JCCF

    national shooting competition representing the third battal-

    ion. One of it's member won first place and another third

   place, based on individual scores. All of it's members were

   awarded marksmanship and first class shooting badge.

   The Preparedness and Emergency Response Corp (PERC)

   was launched on the grounds of St Mary High School in May

   2009 by the Hon Bruce Golding and have seen 60% of

   the unit trained in areas such as Disaster Management,

   Shelter Management, Initial Damage Assessment, Light

   Search and Rescue, and in Telecummunications and First

   Aid.

   And so for all this, we are proud of our cadet unit.

                                     

                                                                               Inspection

 

 TANYA STEPHENS, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

  Tanya Stephens, born 1973 and named Vivienne Stephenson,

  is one of the most gifted and versatile female reggae artist

  Jamaica has ever produced. She is decribed as one of the most

  influential reggae artists that emerged in the late 1990s, and

  her music continues to blaze the airways with chart topping

  hit after hit.

  From her breakout hit 'yuh nuh ready fi dis yet' to the rhythmic

  and contagious 'it's a pity', this genious from St Mary High

  School continues to dominate the reggae charts, defying the

  odds by standing tall in a traditional man's world.

  And so for all this, we are proud of you Ms Tanya Stephens.

                                    

                                          Tanya Stephens

 

 ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL TABLE TENNIS TEAM - A SUCCESS STORY

   St Mary High School who last won in 2006, was crowned all-

   island Table Tennis Champions after they defeated Meadow-

   brook High School 3-2 in the Girls under-19 TT finals at the

   Hy-Performance Center on Friday, March 19, 2010 while      

   the boys under 16 team went down to Campion College in 

   that final after been blanked 5-0 for second place finish.

   The female victors from Highgate are Tracey-Ann Dattadeen, 

   Kemolyn Frost and Davene buchanan.

   St Mary High is coached by Shevaar Smith, Garfield Ashley

   and Peter Samaroo.

   And so for all this, we are proud of our table tennis team.

 

   IF YOU KNOW OF A TRUE ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS

   STORY, PLEASE LET US KNOW AT otissinclair1966@aol.com

   Also, if you see an error, please bring it to our attention

   using the above email, Thanks.

 

 GARY RICKETTS, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

Gary Ricketts was born on December 8, 1975 in Port Maria,

St Mary. As a youngster, he frequented nearby Clemards

Park to watch football, a game he would grow to love. He

often fantasized about the day when he would run

on this very ground, scoring goals and electrifying

crowds. As he became older, Gary's love for the game int-

ensified and he excelled in the sport, exhibiting great skills

with a deep appetite for scoring goals. At Port Maria Sec-

ondary School, Gary got his first taste of organized football

with bonafide coaches. It was not long before he caught

the eyes of the coaching staff who encouraged him to

show up at practice and try out for the school's team. But

so conspicuous was his talent that soon he was summonds

with a scholarship to don the green and gold jersey of the

Highgate based St Mary High School with it's more struct-

ured program and a few talented youngsters of it's own.

     Gary excelled at his new school and wasted no time

becoming it's star player, scoring goals at will and adding

respect to the school's sports resume, alerting it's rivals

and other contemporaries. He would raise his game to

new and improve heights each successive year and was

called up for duty on the All DaCosta Cup team. It was

not long after this that the Jamaican coaches jumped

on the bandwagon, taking notice of this youngster who

was later awarded a spot on the national under 20 team.

     It was while mesmerizing fans and opponents alike

during his stint in the DaCosta Cup and while on the nat-

ional junior team - in 1995 - that Gary caught the eyes

of an American football coach and was subsequently

awarded a football scholarship to attend Bluefield

College in Virginia where he would continue to dazzle

crowds with his sensational dribbles and precise

passes; an affair that lasted two seasons. But Gary

was soon on the move again after impressing the

coaches from Liberty University where he was 'trans-

fered', representing them also for a couple years as he

would continue his prolific scoring, eluding tacklers while

showcasing his skills on ballgrounds wherever he went.

      Gary kept in touch with his grandparents, Eulalee

and Levi Ricketts, who he left behind in Jamaica and who

were the ones responsible for his upbringing, often

telling them of his deep desires to play in Europe and

one day representing the Jamaican senior team.

      While attending university, Gary started the tran-

sition from the varsity league to the professionals,

representing the Roanake Wrath, a minor league team

from Roanake, Virginia.

      After accompanying friends to purchase a car and

while on their way back home in the middle of the night,

as Gary slept and  his friend behind the wheel,

tragedy  prevailed - something Gary Ricketts unfortun-

ately knows all too well having lost a brother and a

sister.

     At approximately 1 AM on the morning of Sept 19, 1999,

Gary's life would be changed forever; gone were his

dreams and asperations in an instant as he and his

friend were pulled from the wrecked car and rushed to 

nearby Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Gary would

wake up a quadripligic - paralyzed from the chest down

and restricted to his bed and later, a wheelchair, having

broken his neck and crushed his spinal cord. At first he

was in denial for certainly it had to be a bad dream, or

so he thought - but he never woke from this nightmare. 

Gary would later revealed that he wanted to die rather

than to go on living that way.  As time went by, a stoic

Gary Ricketts slowly confronted his disposition, gath-

ering strength with each passing day.

       Since the accident, Gary Ricketts has had to deal

with one obstacle after another like the fierce opp-

onents he confronted while on the football field. But

thanks to a few dedicated friends, his pastor, his

doctors and nurses, and the rest of the medical staff,

Gary Ricketts continues to elude the tackles. His med-

ical bill is in excess of $3000 per month and continues

to climb which remains one of his tallest hurdle.

     Now more than a decade later, Gary has made

a 360 degrees transformation in his life; he continues

to serve as a beacon of  inspiration to many as he

went from depression and despair, wanting to end his

life, to a man on a mission, drawing strength from his

new found faith in the Lord and proving to many that

happiness can be restored from the deepest abyss to

one of hope and joy spearheaded by Jesus Christ.

     Today Gary Ricletts is working on his autobiography

entitled "Ready to Stretch" which he hopes to have on

bookshelves soon. Gary can be contacted at

gricketts@liberty.edu

 And so for all this, we are proud of you Mr Gary Ricketts. 

                

                                                  Gary Ricketts

 

                                      

MR OWEN JAMES, A ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

St. Mary High School's own Owen James has been giving ad-

ept insight into the financial world and other journalistic re-

lated matters for almost 40 years.

While at school, James was known for his creative writing

skills and it was this ability that would eventually propel him

into the world of journalism in the early 1970s.

In 1972, a young Owen James started working at the Jam-

aican Gleaner as a trainee journalist. So impressed were his

superiors that young James was soon promoted to an editor

position. Later he was selected by Hector Winter, editor-in-

chief of the Gleaner, to attend various courses including a stint

at the prestegious Harry Brittain Fellowship in London. James

started implementing things he learnt overseas and soon, as

manager, he watched the circulation of the Jamaican Star im-

proved by 37 percent.

In 1982, after 11 years with the Jamaican Gleaner, Owen James

sought and attained work at the now defunct JBC. It didn't take

him long to be promoted to Assistant Director of News, Sports,

and Current Affairs.

In 1997, when JBC was divested, James was made redundant,

this after 15 years of service.

In 1998, James went on the air, this time at Super Supreme Tele-

vision, with his program, 'The Business Day'. The early days were

not without hiccups but eventually the program would create a

niche as corporate Jamaica came on board through sponsorship.

The highly acclaimed, ' The Business Review', was his subsequent

production.

By the year 2000, Owen James had started his own company which

he named, 'All Media Services Limited'. Here, at this small media pro-

duction company, in addition to presenting financial information to

the masses, the company also produced programs for radio and

television. Later, in 2003, while at TVJ, James conceptualized the

program, 'On a Personal Note,' a program which resonated with

young Jamaicans who easily identified and could relate to the

contents of the program.

Owen James productions would eventually set the standard by

which other financial programs are judged and in many cases,

other programs would emulate his concepts.

His latest venture, 'The Owen James Report,' started in August,

2011 and is aired on CVM TV. His business website is

businesscontentjamaica.com

And so for all this, we are proud of you Mr Owen James.

     

                                        Owen James

                                                   

MR MORAIS GUY, A ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

On November 25, 1956, Moses and Nerissa Guy welcomed their

 7th of 13 children, Morais Guy, in Belfield, St. Mary. Before entering

St. Mary High School, Morais studied at Belfield Primary School. At

St. Mary High, the brainy youngster served as captain of the school's

School Challenge Quiz team and as deputy head boy.

Upon graduating from St. Mary High School, Morais was accepted in

the medical program at the UWI in 1975. He excelled at the UWI and

was made chairman of Chancellor Hall.

After completing his studies, and now a medical doctor, Dr Morais

Guy worked at the Spanish Town Hostpital and at the Bustamante  

Children Hostpital  for a number of years before heading to his

birth parish where he established his own medical practice in

Highgate and in Islington.

Dr Guy, always true to his roots, served the community with decorative

distinction from the grassroots to the professional and elite platform.

He served as a member of the JAMAL parish board, member of the 

St Mary High School's board from 1984 - 1990,  a member of the 

Highgate Branch Library's committee, and a member of the St. Cyprian

Prep School's board, to name a few. His professional achievements

include serving as member of several prestigious professional med-

ical fraternities such as the Medical Association of Jamaica, The Assoc-

iation of General Practitioners of Jamaica, as president of the Assoc-

iation of General Practitioner of Jamaica from 1992 - 1994, and also as

a member of the Caribbean College of family Physicians.

Dr Morais Guy innate drive to continue serving in the public services led

him to enter the political arena in 1976 and today he is a member of parl-

iament for Central St. Mary, Minister Without Portfolio - Transport, Works

and Housing; this after defeating the JLP's Lennon Richards in the

November, 2012 general elections.

Dr Morais Guy and his wife Nadine, also a medical doctor, are the

proud parents of two children.

And so for all this, we are proud of you Mr Morais Guy.

                                        

                                                                          Morais Guy

 

                                               JACQUELINE PUSEY, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

                                           Following the success of Lelieth Hodges, St Mary High School would

                                           wait only a mere three years for another of her own to rise to

                                           prominence in athletics, this time through one Jacqueline Pusey,

                                          an Islingston native and St Mary High School most decorated female

                                          athlete.

                                         At the Girls Athletics Championships, Jacqueline Pusey ran virtually

                                         unchallenged, usually breaking the tape while her competitors 

                                         followed yards behind. So emphatic were her wins, the local

                                         television station would replay her performances several times on

                                         the evening news.

                                        A young Jackie sent her first warning to the outside world at the

                                        prestigious Carifta Games during the 1975 edition in Hamilton,

                                        Bermuda when she mounted the podium after claiming silver

                                        behind the host country's Debbie Jones in the 200m and 400m.

                                        The following year, 1976, this time in Nassau, Bahamas, Debbie

                                        Jones would continue her winning ways, holding off Pusey in the

                                        100m and 200m as Pusey, once again, had to settle for a pair of

                                        silver.     

                                        1977, Jamaica and the Caribbean watched in awe as a more

                                        seasoned  Jacqueline Pusey demolished her opponents at home 

                                       while showing vast improvents on the international circuit.

                                       As the much anticipated match-up between Pusey and Jones got

                                       on it's way at the Carifta Games in Bridgetown, Barbados, G                                                                                                                                                                                                                      had t                                     Jacqueline Pusey had to wait until the 400m finals to taste victory 

                                      over her Caribbean rival, beating her, Jones, and established a new

                                      meet record in the process. (It should be noted that Debbie Jones

                                      had competed in both the 100m & 200m earlier at the meet, winning

                                      both races). That same year, a young girl, also from St Mary High

                                      School, Doreen Small, would introduce herself to the track and

                                      field community, bursting onto the scene like a meteroid from

                                      space, signalling her future intent - to win.

                                      1978 was Jaqueline Pusey's most dominant  schoolgirl year, as

                                      her  magnificent display at the Girls Athletics Championships,

                                      the likes of which had never been seen before, warranted eye

                                      popping and jaw dropping coaches from universities in the States

                                     to pursue this bundle of talent as Jackie demolished her opponents

                                     and set the stage for what would become ' Jackie's Carifta Games'.

                                     At the games held in Nassau, Bahamas, with her old menace,

                                     Debbie Jones, over the age requirements to compete, Jacqueline

                                     Pusey put on a one woman clinic, while romping to victory in the

                                    200m and 400m, winning both races convincingly.

                                    Jackie would attend and compete for a US university and also for

                                    Jamaica. She ran at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 at the tender

                                    age of 16.

                                     Jamaica's 1983 4x100m women's team at the World Athletics

                                     Championships comprised of Lelieth Hodges, Jacqueline Pusey,

                                     Juliet Cuthbert and Merlene Ottey and is arguably the best relay

                                     team ever assembled by the country though their record does

                                     not substantiate. However, considering that nowadays athletes    

                                     compete in a more professional climate and given that todays

                                     athletes compete in advance gears, run on faster tracks, recieve

                                     better training and get superior medical treatment and condition- 

                                     ing, there's no telling how many records that quartet would have

                                     established were they competing in this era!

                                     And so for all this, we are proud of you Ms Jacqueline Pusey. 

                              

                                                                             

                                                                          Pusey (middle)  Girls Champs 1977    

                                                                 

                                                                         Bermuda's Debbie Jones

 

                                    DOREEN SMALL, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

                                 The year 1977 saw Jimmy Carter being elected as president of

                                 the United States, Bob Marley was on his way to becoming an

                                 international icon and coach Haughton-James guided St Mary

                                 High School to their second consecutive lean on the coveted 

                                 title as Jamaica's girls athletics champions!

                                 While Jacqueline Pusey and Bermuda's Debbie Jones continued

                                 to duel in their fierce rivalry for Caribbean supremacy in high-

                                 school's female sprints, a young phenom, Doreen Small, from

                                St Mary High School in Jamaica was gathering momentum her-

                                self and in 1976 she would burst onto the scene like a meteroid

                                from space, sending shockwaves throughout the track and

                                field world!

                                Though she never garnered the same hype generated by Jacque-

                                line Pusey, Doreen Small would quiet all of her doubters when

                                she won the Carifta Games' girls under 17 100m finals in Nassua,

                                Bahamas in 1976 beating hometown favourite , L. Richardson

                                into first place, this after an impressive showing at the Girl

                               Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.

                               Doreen would follow up this performance by placing third in

                               women's under 20 100m finals of the Carifta Games in 1977 

                               held in Bridgetown Barbados behind Bermuda's Debbie Jones

                               and Maureen Gottshalk, also of Jamaica.

                              A year later, 1978, there would be no denying  Doreen, as she won

                              the 7th edition of the Carifta Games held in the Bahamas, running

                              a wind assisted 11.78 in the 100m and would later claim victory

                              in the 100m hurdles over Gina Tempro of Barbados. (Pusey would

                              run away with top honors in the 200 and 400m that same year for

                              a St Mary High School's clean sweep of the Caribbean high schools'

                              female sprints). And so for this, we are proud of you Doreen Small.

                                                                        

                                                                                  Doreen Small in Florida, 2011

 

                            DANNY HAWTHORNE, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

                          Danny Hawthorne is regarded as one of the best and most pop-

                          ular coaches in Jamaica. He has been involved as coach of the

                          national team at both the senior and junior levels.

                          Before guiding Yohan Blake to international fame, Danny Hawth-

                          orne was coach of St Mary High School's track and field, football

                          and cricket teams for 13 years (this without much formal training

                          as a coach). Though not considered a bona fide coach at the time,

                          Mr Harthorne was slowly creating a coaching name for himself

                          when he guided a couple sprinters from St Mary High to local

                          and then international prominence namely, Percival Spencer,

                          named most outstanding athlete at Boys Champs (circa 1994)

                         and one of only a handful of Jamaicans to dip below 10 seconds

                         in the 100m sprints and young Nicole Mitchell, one of the most

                         gifted female sprinter the world has ever seen.

                         Danny Hawthorne would enhance his credentials and solidify

                         himself as one of the best coaches in Jamaica and in the world

                         when upon departing from St Mary High, he enrolled in and

                         completed an advanced coaching program at G.C. Foster College.

                         And so for all this, we are proud of you Mr Danny Hawthorne.

                                                                       

                                                             Danny Hawthorne                          

 

                         ROBERT MONTAGUE, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS STORY

                         Robert 'Bobby' Montague arrived on the political scene a very

                         young man in 1990 as councillor for the Carron Hall Division

                         in St Mary. Mr Montague, through his love for politics, plung-

                         ed deeply into his career, giving it his all and was subsequently

                         elected mayor of the St Mary Parish Council 13 years later - a  

                         testiment of his hard work and dedication for which the world

                         would soon start taking note of this innovative politian and a 

                         product of St Mary High School.

                         His brightness and poise enabled Bobby to be chosen to repres-

                         ent Jamaica on the board of directors of the Commonwealth

                         Local Government Forum (CLGF) for which he became the deputy

                         chairman.

                         Here he would unleash to the international community, his rep-

                         ertoire of innovativeness as it pertained to the running of parish

                         councils and local government in general. With such ambitious

                         drive, in 2006, Bobby was elevated to a top level position on the

                         the board of CLGF, a position he held for only one year after

                         which he was elected member of parliament for Western St Mary

                         and was made minister of state with the responsibility for local

                         government reform.

                         Bobby would introduce a number of key initiatives which has help-

                         ed to change the way the organization is percieved and was once

                         described by the Secretary General of CLGF, Mr Carl Wright, as a

                         "dynamic chair and board member, playing a key role in policy and

                         program development and also getting involved at the grass-roots

                         level".

                         Father Smagaliso Mkhatswa, secretary general of the United Cities

                         and Local Government of Africa noted that Mr Montague had help-

                         ed to bring a better understanding of local government in different

                         countries.

                         When he was given the mandate to reform local government in Ja-

                         maica, Bobby Montague introduced a whole new way of doing bus-

                         iness at the local government level. In effect, Mr Montague had

                         etched his way into history when he intoduced these new ways of

                         running local municipalities, a feat still lauded by many in the inter-

                         national community. His shrewd approach and tactical reforms

                         helped positioned him as chair of the Caribbean Forum Of Local Gov-

                         ernment and vice president of the Hemispheric Ministries responsible

                         for Decentralisation , Local Government and Citizen Participation.

                         Bobby has given technical help in monitoring elections in Siera Leone

                         and has worked in diverse countries such as Belgium and Fiji, New

                         Zealand and Kenya.

                        In July, 2011 Mr Robert Montague was named Minister of Agriculture.

                         And so for all this, we are proud of you Mr Robert Montague.

      

                                                                                  Robert Montague

                                                                           

 

 

                        MR LISTER HAUGHTON-JAMES, A ST MARY HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS 

                                                                     STORY

                      Today Jamaica stands as a powerhouse in athletics but this comes as

                      no surprise to former volunteer coach of St Mary High, Mr Lister

                      Haughton-James. He saw the potential of Jamaican athletes from

                      1968-1984 when he was coach at the school. He pursued his task

                      with an I can attitude and was not daunted by the odds. According to

                      Mr. Haughton-James, "We were at the bottom of athletics with in-

                      adequate funds, facilities and equipments. However, my maxim

                      has always been, to worry about what you don't have is to waste

                      what you have." He therefore felt confident in sharing the athletic

                      skills he gained as a student at Excelsior High where he was a

                      sprinter in the 100 and 200 meters.

                     In order to be a successful athlete, you need to be disciplined

                     and dedicated to the task at hand. Mr Haughton-James found

                     an eager group of athletes. He spoke with passion as he de-

                     scribed their commitment, "Not even heavy rain would stop the

                     athletes training as they would use the auditorium, roads,

                     school steps, corridors, driveway, netball court etc. We even

                     won Eastern Champs convincingly the first year that I started

                     coaching. These champs were held at the U.W.I playing-field.

                     We had a large team but only about a dozen pair of spikes.

                     Of particular note was the fact that dispite this, no one ran

                     without spikes. Our athletes were noted for their quick start

                     at a time when we did not have starting blocks."

                     He proudly reeled off a long list of names of top athletes of

                     the school - " Jackie Pusey, Lilieth Hodges, Doreen Small, Kay

                     Allen, the late Lelta Simms, Sandra Sterling, Michael Campbell,

                     Donovan Stanford, the late Andre Gillette, Leroy Coleman,

                     Patrick Gayle, among others."

                    He remembers many proud moments when St Mary High ath-

                    letes brought glory to the school and pointed out, "The con-

                    fidence in the team was so great that we could predict the

                    individual and overall performance even before they made

                    it on the track. Their domination of Eastern Champs from 1968-

                    1983, the winning of Girls Champs in 1976 and 1977 and the

                    fact that in 1974 only 9 boys went to Boys Champs yet man-

                    aged to place 6th out of 40 plus schools stand out for me.

                    Over the years they also participated in Gibson Relays and

                    won several medals."

                    It was with some amount of amusement that he recalled

                    what happened with some of the male participants in the

                    1968 Boys Champs, "Two of our boys made it to the 100

                    and 200m finals and this had the organizers rushing around

                    overnight to have extra numbers to cope with the situation.

                    Michael Campbell did very well in both events."

                    He beamed with pride as he went on to state, "St Mary High

                   athletes also represented Jamaica well regionally and inter-

                   nationally at the Carifta Games, Penn Relays and Olympics.

                   Lilieth Hodges went to the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and

                   Jackie Pusey participated in the 1976 Olympics. I must point

                   out that in both instances, they were still students of St Mary

                   High School when they first participated."

                  Jamaican athletes have made a habit of standing out at the Penn

                  Relays and he recalls that those from St. Mary High were no ex-

                  ception. In listing the major achievements at these relays he said,

                  "We did well in 1981 when the youngest team ever of 6 girls from

                  class 2 and 3 ran in the 4x100 and 4x400m relays and came home

                  with medals and a plaque. Let us not forget the boys who ran in

                  1974 in the 4x100 relays."

                   He was happy to speak of the fitness of his athletes stating, "I

                  managed to keep them injury free. I can't recall any athlete's

                 career coming to an early end due to injury. As a matter of fact, no

                 athlete had to withdraw from an event due to injury." He further

                 pointed out, "There were athletes who did well not only in athlet-

                 ics, but academically. Now they are pursuing a wide range of prof-

                 essions. Of special note is the current Vice Principal, Jacqueline

                Wilson."

                 St Mary High is not among the dominant schools in athletics at

                 this time but he feels that it is not impossible for this school to

                rise again affirming, "With the assistance of funds, equipments

                and facilities, the school can produce top athletes in the future."

                He also stressed the importance of support from school officials and

                the community. He made special mention of former principal, the

                late Mr. Edgar Cargill, former sports master Seymour Hutchinson,

                sports mistress, Ventrice Vidal and Trevor Stoddart who gave him

               strong support during his tenure.

               He looks to the day when St. Mary High students shine again on

               the national and international scenes. He continues to be an ard-

               ent athletics fan revelling in the success of Jamaican athletes as

               they win medals and shatter records at the Olympics and World

               Games. (Mr Haughton-James was one of the coaches for the Jam-

               aica Carifta Games Team between 1975-1977)

               And so for all this, we are proud of you Mr Lister Haughton-James.