Go Tell John (LK 7:18-23)

Today the student body packed St. Mary's Church to celebrate their annual Carol Service. Students, faculty and staff were challenged to go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is the reason St. Mary's College exists. The Gospel of the day recounted the story of John the Baptist sending messengers to Jesus to ask if He is the one- Jesus sent them back and told them to proclaim what they have seen and heard - so too are the members of the College called to do the same - by the way they live their lives each day. The Christmas holiday began after the last exam of the day and the students and teachers will return refreshed (we hope) and ready to begin 2011 on January 4th.

The Head Boy and Girl proclaim the Scripture reading. The advent wreath is in the foreground.

Students needed to sit outside as the Church could not hold the big gathering
Students joyfully sing their praises to the new born KING

Unconditionally Proud!

We received word that our Choir did not receive enough votes to move to the top 4. Although it is disappointing news, we should be extremely proud of our students and their teacher. They entered the competition with 34 other schools, many are much larger than St. Mary's. Not having been in the All Together Sing for many years, their performance was extraordinary. Hard work and determination really paid off. Of course we would be proud of our students even if they didn't move to the top five.

A BIG thank you to all who took the time and credit to vote for Saint Mary's Choir. As a way of offering thanks, a special concert will be held on Friday December 17th at 6:00pm in the Saint Mary's Church yard. All are invited. Admission is free. Refreshments will be on sale and proceeds will go to help the choir reach All Together Sing 2011.

Success Through Discipline

Wednesday November 24, 2010 - 9:00am

Saint Mary's 3rd Annual Awards & Prize Giving Ceremony

Guest Speaker Mr. Peter Morrison (past student) challenges the student body to discipline themselves in order to be a success.

Scholars listen as their names are called

Students gather under the big tent

Five Alive!!!!

YES, the Choir moves to the next round. We are in the top five. Thank you to all who have and will continue to vote for Saint Mary's College!

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"The maestro" (in white) our music teacher leads the choir to success

Thumbs up for the choir!

WOW!!!!!!

Watch All Together Sing and be Blessed as our Choir continues to move to the top spot of the competition. They taped Thursday (November 18) at TV J and were fantastic - the best sound all year! Listen to the comments by the three judges. Thanks again for all who have voted and please continue to support St. Mary's College. The students are soooo excited!

The music teacher's pep talk Thursday morning was focused on "David and Goliath" - David doing the seemingly impossible and it was only with the help of the Lord, who was his and our shepherd!

Entering the TV J Studio

Brother Michael Duffy (Board Chair) and two of our male vocalists

Self-proclaimed move stars

They sing as well as they look!

VOTE: 444-8802

Hot Dog! 444-8802

From the last note our Choir Sings on Sunday night until 12noon Wednesday, we can vote, vote, vote for Saint Mary's College 444-8802. As a way to purchase valuable cell phone credits in order to vote, the College and Church Community have become very creative. On Fridays the student body is invited to pay $40 to attend a special concert after school. Under the direction of the PTA President baked goods are sold during lunch.

The Church has also gotten into the Choir mania. Marc, Tennessee and Above Rocks own Bobby Flay prepare the American favorite - hot dogs to be sold to the students and teachers. Every little bit counts. We all appreciate all those who have and continue to vote for St. Mary's College.

Proud of our Students
UNCONDITIONALLY!

7th Heaven

Saint Mary's College is in the top 7 Choirs in the Country. Today they taped Sunday's Show - thank you for watching and vote, vote, vote!

From The Jamaican Observer:

SOCIAL anthropologist Professor Barry Chevannes is dead.

Chevannes passed away at the University Hospital of the West Indies this afternoon. He was hospitalised in early September with a serious illness.

Chevannes...passed away at UHWI today. (Observer file photo)

Chevannes...passed away at UHWI today. (Observer file photo)

He is a founding member of Fathers Inc, a support group for fathers.

Chevannes was also the head of the Institute of Jamaica and was the head of the National Ganja Commission, which was set up to study the viability of decriminalising marijuana. The commission sanctioned decriminalisation but the government has yet to address the matter.

The professor headed the Violence Prevention Alliance which launched a safe community campaign in 2006.

Chevannes was also an executive member of the Peace Management Initiative

Professor Alston Barrington Chevannes

A graduate in Philosophy and Classics from Boston College, USA, Barry Chevannes holds the M.Sc. in Sociology from the University of the West Indies (UWI), and Ph.D. (Anthropology) from Columbia University. A Professor of Social Anthropology, former Head of the Department of Sociology, Social Work & Psychology and former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the UWI, Barry Chevannes was born in Kingston, and has had a distinguished teaching career. He has taught in institutions far and wide including Saint Mary's College and Campion College at the High School level, and City University of New York and Columbia University as well as the UWI at the tertiary level. Additionally he is an international research consultant answering demands throughout the West Indies, Europe, and the United States.

Professor Chevannes has directed his skills at researching aspects of Caribbean culture and identity such as the family and sexual relationships, male gender issues, crime/violence, social integration, indigenous religious manifestations such as Revivalism and Rastafari, socio-political movements and Garveyism. Important among these is the National Commission on Ganja which he headed and out of which the National Report on Ganja was produced. Of special interest are Professor Chevannes' innovative initiatives such as being the founder of Fathers Incorporated (an organization dedicated to men, especially fathers), and his contributions to the Peace Management Initiative. Professor Chevannes is the current Chairman of the Institute of Jamaica which awards national honours in the form of the Musgrave Medal. Having pursued a wide range of academic, cultural and practical activities, this distinguished Jamaican has received many awards nationally and internationally. He received the Vice Chancellor's Award (UWI) for outstanding achievements in research, teaching and public service and is also recognized for his original contribution to Jamaican folk and religious song heritage.

Our Students Also Excell In The Classroom

There were over 900 applicants for the UWI Open Scholarships. St. Mary's top girl for 2007/08, Knakita Bent is one of the 41 winners! Below is the press release from UWI:

20 Jamaican students get a share of US $1.1 million awarded in UWI Open Scholarships

In an announcement by the UWI Board for Undergraduate Studies, 20 Jamaican nationals are named among the beneficiaries of prestigious UWI Open Scholarships awarded to new undergraduate students for the academic year 2010/2011.

The Jamaican Open Scholars are Stephen Barnes, Andre Bascoe, Jhoelle Beckford, Knakita Bent, Shantel Brissett, Melissa Campbell, Monique Calhoun, Novia Cluttered, Shenae Cunningham, Matthew Davis, Roxanne Ffrench, Jody-Ann Gaff, Jeremy Hall, Aston Hamilton, Auvarhenne Howell, Danya Marshall, Paul McFarlane, Kharif Thomas, Krystn Trowers and Tone Wilson. Of these, six are pursuing studies in the Medical Sciences; six are enrolled in the Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences, five in Law and three in Social Sciences.

These high achievers share the spotlight with counterparts from Anguilla, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago, who were selected from approximately 900 applicants from across UWI’s 15 Caribbean member countries.

In making the pronouncement, Pro Vice Chancellor and Chair of the Board for Undergraduate Studies, Professor Alvin Wint said “It is a proud occasion at The University of the West Indies. We believe that our investment in each Open Scholar will make a difference and help us secure our region’s future.”

The net value of this year’s Open Scholarship awards is approximately US $1.1 million. The scholarships will cover the cost of tuition (where applicable), living expenses, books and incidentals and will be renewed based on the scholar’s maintenance of a minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout their course of study.

The UWI Open Scholarships are awarded annually to Caribbean nationals on the basis of high academic achievement at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) or equivalent examinations, demonstrated leadership in co-curricular activities and/or community service.

Tomas vs. Jackson

Today (Thursday) Tropical Storm Tomas was delayed just enough to allow the Choir to make it to the TVJ studios to tape Sunday's Show. They sang Michael Jackson's song - Heal The World.

Although they received "OK" "not bad"comments from the three judges (thus we will really need to vote a lot this week) we can be proud of their message.

Students were divided into the "World" symbolized by gangstas, pregnant teenager, unwed mother, etc and

"Healing" symbolized by nurses, red cross, etc.


Isn't that the message we are trying to instill at our

Catholic Christian School ?

We, all of us, can be instruments of the Lord's healing by our kindness, selfless lifestyle and Gospel values!

We can be proud of our students UNCONDITIONALLY

....and don't forget to watch on Sunday TVJ 8:00pm - VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!

8 is GREAT!!

Today we were notified that the Choir made it to the top 8 choirs in the Country. Off to TV J tomorrow (Thursday) to tape Sunday's Show. Tomas, please stay away!

October 31, 2010 VOTE,VOTE,VOTE

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Watch October 24, 2010 @8pm TVJ

The College Choir traveled to the TVJ studio on October 14 to tape their segment. Watch TVJ this Sunday and don't forget to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!

All smiles before the competition

Last minute instructions

Under the TVJ stage lights

Day 7 and counting!

Today marks the 7th day we have been without electric here in the hills. After numerous unsuccessful calls to JPS we are trying to run a College with 900 students, and All-Age with 400, a Basic School with 60, not to mention the feeding programs. We were told that our College Choir was on TV this past Sunday and sounded fantastic, although many of us could not see them! Remember to watch TVJ "All Together Sing" October 17 at 8:00pm and vote, vote, vote!!

The Hills Are Alive...

...With The Sound Of Music - Above Rocks that is - The St. Mary's Choir is busy practicing for the All Together Sing Competition this year. They are spending countless hours rehersing believe they can win it all! Check local TVJ listings for the first show.

Send Down The Holy Spirit

On September 3rd the Saint Mary's College Community gathered in Church to celebrate the Mass of The Holy Spirit, asking the Spirit of the Lord to bless the students, administration, faculty and staff for the 2010-11 academic year. The assembly lifted the roof of the Church as they sang the Lord's praises and called down the Holy Spirit - Fire, Fire, Fire, Fire Fall On Us! Jesus Christ is the reason for the existance of Saint Mary's College and He will certainly guide us as we all try to build his Kingdon, one student at a time.

Students call down The Holy Spirit upon their teachers

The College Choir sings "The Lord Is My Shepherd"

Lord Make Me An Instrument Of You Peace

Students exchange a sign of peace during Mass

Field of Dreams?

This morning 15 members of the Above Rocks Community joined the workers from the Church to spread sand on the playfield. Last Saturday a playfield committee was established consisting of members of the Past Students Association, Above Rocks Community and the Church. Working together we hope to develop a world class field where our student-athletes can shine. All went well for a few hours until the skys opened and the field turned into a lake. Life up here in Above Rocks!

Spreading Sand

Cleaning The Drain

Here comes the rain!

St. Mary's Playfield or St. Mary's Lake?