Campus Corner - November 18, 2006
A Touch Of Class:
Despite the hardships that everyone likes to harp on concerning the school, there are still the proverbial “diamonds in the rough” that are produced by Kingston College. Dewayne Ashman (Deputy Headboy) has been selected as the Jamaica Scholar for the island of Jamaica. This is a most prestigious selection, and all old boys both locally in Jamaica and those overseas should be beaming with pride. We should be bragging to our counterparts that even though we might not be getting it done in sports, we are still producing the scholars that Jamaica sorely needs to take the country further into the twenty first century and beyond.
We are sure this young man will need the support of the KC Old Boy fraternity. He recently was in need of a laptop, however, it appears that the need was met. As information comes to Just Always Remember, we will update everyone via this Campus Corner Page.
At It Again
The imcomparable Roy McClean is back at the helm of the cricket program at Kingston College. Many of you who watched and played cricket in the eighties remember Coach as the man who basically shaped many of careers beyond the classroom. He has left an indelible mark on all the cricketers he coached. It is with a great sense of pride and joy that we learned that he is back at it again.
However, we received news that the nursery where so many talented cricketers from the college (Robert Samuels, Mario Ventura, Valentino Ventura, Errol Nolan, Derron Dixon, Dalkeith Dempster, Marlon Samuels, etc..) is in need of some work. Grass needs to return to the space and the fencing and pavements need some work.
For the cricketers out there just think about how we learned to “play straight” by playing golf cricket, or how we learned to field by hitting bulls eye on the wall of the metal works building, and most importantly the batting nets that provided the opportunities to “chip and drive”. That same nursery needs our help today. If we are going to recreate the luster that we had, we need your help. Please pay attention to this page to see how you can assist.
At the end of the day we are simply excited that Coach Mac is back.
Cafeteria Gets a Facelift
For those of us who attended Kingston College in the eighties, we remember the cafeteria as being a place where the May Fair had one of its dance floors, or it was the place the Manning Cup players spent most of their summer days between practices. Now we have picture evidence that the canteen had some improvements that we would have never envisioned. For all intent and purpose, the work looks extremely well.
Giving back the Fortis Way
It is often said that we must shower people with random acts of kindness. Well we have some gentlemen that are doing that in a marvelous way at our alma mater. Many of us who played football at Kingston College will remember Dean “Juicy” Smith, Lawrence Passley, and Steven “Kempez” Henry as individuals we respected, and who were always willing to assist the younger players. However, they have taken that same tenacity to the field once again.
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All three gentlemen are volunteering their precious time to recapture the luster that the school once had in the area of football. They hail from a time when Kingston College won at least one trophy in football across the different age category every year. Now we are in many instances lucky to make it pass the first round of any of them (most notably the Manning Cup). Therefore, they are starting with the youngsters.
Mr. Smith (Manning Cup 83’ and 84’) and Mr. Passley (82’, 83’ and 84’) are into their second year of coaching the under 14 Pepsi team. Mr. Smith has turned down many lucrative offers for his service as a coach by other schools, but he and Mr. Passley remained devoted to the College where their services are offered pro bono.
The team won the Pepsi Cup, and the All Island Competition last year.
As champions they won prizes including a computer and $75,000 for the school.
As defending champions, the coaches are hopeful of taking the crown again this year as they have retained 14 players from last years squad. The coaches are, however, mindful that they should approach this season a game at a time. The competition kicks off November 2, 2006. They are drawn in a zone with Tivoli, Charlie Smith, St. George’s and Greater Portmore High.
Funding is a challenge for the team this year as the Sports master has informed the coaches that they have to seek sponsorship for the supply of footwear and other amenities as the school is not able to provide. Mr. Smith planned to host a Fish Fry on November 4 at his home as well as approaching individuals and businesses to generate some much needed funds for the team. He also mentioned that an Old Boy in Florida had promised to supply the team with some football boots.
The parents of the boys are very involved and supportive. They come out in numbers at training sessions and at matches whenever possible. The team is managed by a parent and during training sessions the fathers even act as referees.
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The colts and Pepsi teams are quite impressive as it is said they are not accustomed to losing. We crashed out of the manning cup this season and it is believed that these youths should bring the manning cup back to the College in another two to three years.
But they need support.
Mr. Smith says the dream of the coaching staff (Pepsi) is to monitor and mentor these youths from this level onwards even as they become professionals.
The coaches may be contacted at:
Dean “Juicy” Smith – (876) 360-2458
Lawrence Passley - (876) 869-5880
Mr. Steven Henry is working with the Colts team at this time. So far this year they had their first match on Thursday October 19 and they beat Ascot High 7-0. They also beat Calabar 3-0 in a practice match. Hopes are high for this team as well, and we only hope and pray that these youngsters will continue to matriculate through the school and keep moving on to the big arena of the Manning Cup. Educational pursuits should not be pushed to the side, and we will need old boys to assist as Big Brothers and mentors to these young men and bring them along.
Requested Items Update:
High Jump Pits:
The track and field team is in the throws of preparing for their seventh title run at the Boys Track and Field Championships. As they prepare, there is a concern in the area of field events and the equipment needed for the proper practicing and preparation for early next year. Just Always Remember has recently learned that there is a need for high jump and pole vault pits.
We have contacted Coach Graham and have learned that the South Florida Chapter of the KCOBA is assisting in this endeavor, however, they are in need of assistance from other old boys to complete the purchase. Therefore, if you are willing to contribute to the defraying of the cost for the pits, please contact Mr. Dwight Davis at dacrni@aol.com for more information. As move toward the seventh straight title, please don’t let the lack of preparation for the jumps be the cause. It is a pride thing now.
Multi Media Equipment:
We have learned that there is a need for multi media equipment to provide viewing capabilities of the upper level students in between classes. Interactive learning can be enhanced by media presentation on DVD and CDs for students during study periods. At this point, it seems like a want more than a need, however, this move will slowly take the school further into the technological age by delivering instruction in another format. This delivery can do nothing more than to enhance the learning outcomes of the students.
Mr. Roger Neil, is currently investigating the needs with school officials and hopefully we will have a concrete idea as to cost once the analysis is completed. Please stay tuned to this page for further information on this initiative. For further information, please contact Gerald Hector at ghector@aol.com.
New Recruits Report
"Left, Right, Left, Right" was the command heard all over 2A North Street a couple of weeks ago as the new recruits of the cadet corps joined ranks to be officially enrolled. It is quite obvious from the photograph that full miitary fatigues will be provided later, however, it appears that spirits were high, and the anticipation of service is what drew these young men together. Gathered on the tennis courts in front of the fourth form block, the youngsters were taken through their paces. For those who are eager to serve, the time is now, for others, thoughts of why they were there must have brought them to a moment of decision. Nonetheless this age old tradition at Kingston College continues.
The cadet corp is still a worthwhile activity at Kingston College, as it hones and sharpens the skills of young people, but most importantly, it provides a framework and opportunity for discipline to be taught. When you read the Jamaica Gleaner or the Jamaica Observer, the headlines seem to center on crime, embezzlement, immoraility, and moral decline. However, Just Always Remember feels that it is appropriate to point out to the fraternity of KC old boys that the cadet unit contines to give hope to the hopeless, direction for the lost, and friendships where there is abandonment.
From the looks of things, KC is doing well in upholding its most sacred traditions. For this the administration and the numerous volunteers must be acknowledged. "Ten Hut"!!!!!!!!!!!
Campus Corner - October 5, 2006
The much-anticipated report on the activities of the KCOBA summit in Toronto, Canada has been released, and quite honestly it is a well-organized document that puts the proper perspective on the overall state of affairs at the school. The document highlights all the challenges the school faces, and the chapter Presidents must be commended for their transparency in reporting some of the heartfelt feelings. As an initial launch of this page on the web site, we would like to offer our own little commentary on the contents of the report.
When one first glances over the summit report of the KCOBA, it appears that Kingston College is holding its own as compared to other institutions and the overall state of the Jamaican economy. However, beneath the surface, there is a more fundamental question that must be addressed; why can’t Kingston College move from the position it find itself when there are so many successful lawyers, doctors, accountants, CEO’s, etc? With all that the school has done for so many, why can’t it get pass its financing debacle? We think that there are three main reasons for the year after year debacle. The reasons are: Confusion of the “M”s, Trust, and Egotism.
Confusion of the “M”s:
Like it or not, Kingston College is a not for profit institution. It survives solely on what the government provides by way of teachers’ pay, tuition collections and fundraising. From all accounts the funds provided by the government apparently covers the faculty’s pay. Those funds from the government accounts for approximately 45.3% of the total budget of the school, while the remaining 54.7% must come from tuition and gifts. The remaining 54.7% is further watered down by the fact that many students who are attending the school have parents that cannot afford the $12,500 out of pocket for school fees. Many of the students are coming to school hungry, or they simply do not show up at all. Therefore, any shortfall in that arena will have to be covered by the fundraising of the school and its allies.
That is where the two “Ms” come into place. The two “Ms” are Money, and Mechanics. Due to the fact that the school is a non-profit institution, the fundraising aspect of its operations takes on a significant role in the life of the school. However, it is our opinion that the school suffers from some of the same problems that plague many non-profit fundraising operations worldwide. The problem is that in many instances, Mechanics is placed before Money, and the usual results are stalled fundraising campaigns, idle properties, and frustrated alumni or stakeholders.
When one takes a closer look at the summit’s report you clearly see a committed group of people with some great ideas, all of which can definitely improve the institution and the learning outcomes of the students. The different KCOBA chapters are totally engaged, the varying Presidents of those chapters have reports that are technically sound, and are totally plausible, however, we learned from the report that projects that were on the drawing board from the 2005 summit did not move one inch.
In our estimation, the organizing, the planning, and the doling out of chapter responsibilities are the mechanics of the campaign, and they are greatly needed, however, at the end of the day, what caused the projects to stall was the other “M”, MONEY!!!! Or the lack thereof.
For any non profit organization that wants to have a successful campaign for anything, be it a Capital Campaign or a Programmatic Campaign it has to identify the sources of funds before they run too far down the road only to be disappointed by the lack of support from fellow alumni and others.
The question becomes how do we get the “Ms” in the proper order? There is no silver bullet response to this question, as the issues that face Kingston College right now were not brought on overnight. To get to the Money aspect of the “Ms”, it requires some radical thinking on the part of all the stakeholders. In the summit report Audley Hewitt was quoted as saying that we all need to “continue to build friendships and influence others.” We agree with that assessment with the modification of the friendships to friendships that can assist the college in a significant financial way.
One of the major problems noted in the report was the lack of a fully functioning library at North Street, and how it was inconceivable for that to be the case for such a great institution. There were plans in the works to extend the Douglas Forrest building among other things. However, nowhere in the document were sources of funds identified. The age-old practice of seeking old boys to give does not work on large-scale items when they are starting from scratch. Most givers are “band wagonists”, and they will only get on when they see progress. However, if we took the converse view of identifying funding sources first, then crafting programmatic activities that coalesced around that program, we believe there would be greater successes.
There are many wealthy foundations in the United States whose sole mission is to fund programs in developing countries that fit within their interests. For example, there is one particularly large foundation whose co-founder is a former librarian, who has funded library projects at schools throughout the United States; this same foundation has provided health related programs outside the United States. It would seem to us that the administration of the school working with the “right” individuals, can find out who has contacts at those foundations, and draft a proposal that addresses the need for a state of the art library at one of the most renowned secondary institutions in the Caribbean. If the proposal goes through the process and is funded, you would have the source of income necessary to complete the project. However, the process of getting to the right people to pass along information to unlock resources takes a cultivation of relationships. This change in thinking was also outlined in a power point presentation from Dr. Cedric Lazarus. Therefore, it tells us that the knowledge and expertise exists within the group, all that is needed a willing soul to step to the plate to pull everyone together.
It appears to us, that for far too long the groups/chapters have focused on the mechanics of getting things done rather than focusing on sources of revenue to get them done. It is going to require some out of the box thinking to address this issue, and we know that this movement started a while back with Mr. Neville “Teddy” McCooke who created a detailed proposal to the Microsoft Corporation. A well-outlined plan it was, but the issue of the right relationship quite possibly derailed that effort.
Based on the budget figures presented in the summit report, there is no conceivable way that the school can make up the budget shortfall by staging dinners, dances, boat rides and fetes. It is going to require a change in approach. An approach that focuses on crafting concrete programmatic activities that a potential funding source will find attractive and willing to fund for future generations.
Trust
The summit report also points out something that many of us thought for a long time now, and that surrounds the issues of trust and motives of the varying groups that claim to support Kingston College. It appears that some in the Administration are not too keen on the KCOBA, because they perceive the group as wanting to “run the school”, the different chapters don’t trust each other because some chapters make commitments and cannot follow through, and the list goes on. If this is the pervasive feeling, then there is no way for any campaign, real or perceived to be successful.
This type of environment will render any campaign to the “yips”. That is, there cannot be any heartfelt consistency because someone will always question another’s motives. In Dr. Lazarus’ presentation he referred to the need for the KCOBA to speak as one voice. There is no other way to put that point but to simply try to find a way to get it done. Just Always Remember was formed on the basis of a collective disappointment of sports people from the era of the eighties who did not see anything going on. However, like all the other groups we found ourselves in a similar situation, because members within the group started questioning motives, and commonality could not be reached on key points. Therefore, the beat goes on. In the presentation Dr. Lazarus points out that there are over 40+ alumni groups trying to be heard in their own independent way. That will never work.
KCOBA Ltd, all the overseas chapters, and all the other periphery groups need to find a structure into which ideas can be poured, and meaningful exchanges can take place to ensure that everyone is saying the same thing. The bifurcation among the groups that take place is causing more problems that providing solutions.
The way we see it now is that trust will return over time as meaningful and tangible results are shown to all the different alumni from varying backgrounds. It will come once progress is made. The old adage that everyone likes a winner is a truism that is more relevant to the KCOBA than ever before.
Egotism
Many of the individuals who contribute to Kingston College do so out of their love and gratitude for the institution, however, truth be told, when you run into people who start becoming frustrated because things are not going their way, that is a clear cut sign that the motives need to be checked. Charity is something that is given with no questions asked, you might be the only giving, but so be it. You are giving because you want to. However, as soon as frustration as to why others are not giving sets in, the motives might be incorrect.
In our opinion, the current situation at Kingston College can be remedied over the next decade by some carefully articulated and funded programmatic activities that will feed into the overall operations of the school. However, the big question is, how do you placate and satisfy those folks who want something done right away, quick, fast, and in a hurry? They will be the most vocal, and they are the ones that can throw cold water on anything. Our solution is that the few that are committed to the long-term solution stay the course and move purposefully to secure the future of the institution.
Conclusion
Just Always Remember is a year out of the box. We are a rag tag group of thirty somethings who really want to make a difference at our alma mater; however, we also realize that to have a lasting and meaningful impact we have to be deliberate and purposeful. We have too many examples of chapters who have members that are frustrated because of the lack of action. Therefore, we intend to go the route as suggested by Mr. Audley Hewitt and Dr. Cedric Lazarus. We are trying to build “right” relationships with the understanding that the support will come, but it simply will not be on our timetable.
In the short term we will assist in any way we can, but our focus is on the long term for assisting the institution. Travel commitments prevented representatives from our group to attend the summit, however, we are thankful to the Canada chapter who sponsored the event, and compiled this wonderful document that we believe should be reduced to an operational plan for all chapters.
We are reaching out to the more established chapters to see where we fit into the overall picture. However, we plan to maintain our identity as the Sportsmen of the Eighties because of the closeness of our bond, but rest assured we are about getting this thing done. Fortis Always.