NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Saint John’s College’ class of 1968 donated $160,000 to the school on Friday.
Among graduates are several nation builders including the former Youth, Sports, and Culture minister Neville Wisdom, Archdeacon James Palacious, and Prime Minister Philip Davis.
The donation will go toward the installation of solar lights that will save the school $30,000 in annual electricity bills, and a portion of the funds will be for scholarships for students in need of financial assistance.
Davis said that the gesture is a way to say thank you to the school and also support education, helping students in need as they would have received help from others back when they were students.
Davis said: “It wasn’t easy because I had to work after school to help pay my school fees and I had others who were helping and I think it’s only fair that we look back as to how we came through and do what others did to ensure that we come through successfully.
“Its a no brainier for me and my colleagues and I’m so fortunate to have been in the Class of 1968 because all of us understood what it meant ti be able to share, we understood that we were not of our own ability to make it, that others had to reach out and help us and that is all embedded in us,” he said.
Davis added that the significance of the donation toward renewable energy is a part of a wider commitment that the government has made to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
He said: “It is also in asking the school to solarize as best they can as a part of their electricity consumption, but also to sensitize our students on their role and responsibility to ensure that we lower our carbon footprint and to understand what it means for alternative energy to lessen our dependency of fossil fuel.”
Palacious said that the donation is a gesture of gratitude to their Alma Mater for what was received through the institution and he is encouraging others to give back to the institutions they have graduated from.
“There are other high schools as well and other institutions like the churches and others that made us who we are today and so few of us turn back to say, thank you, and so I want to thank my classmates for their participation in this and over the years we’ve stuck together and in more recent times in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of this school, that brought us even closer together,” Palacious said.
St John’s College Principal Jinnane Lewis expressed gratitude to the class that she said has offered continuous support through the years and
Lews said: “We are grateful to all of our alumni who are donating to us who are coming in to support us whether its with their time their talent or their treasure we accept all of their time all of their treasure and all of their talent.”
Lewis said that the school will outline plans for the solarization project to begin once funds are processed and determine what part of the school they are going to begin work on.
She added that they have several students on a list in need of assistance and will determine how many are able to take advantage of the scholarships once they would have assessed how much is needed for the solar installation the project.
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