“Only The Best Is Good Enough”
BOSA Newsletter Volume 24 January 2016
Produced by:
Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA)
Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased)
New Market P.O., Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica, West Indies
E-mail: beershebaoldstudentsassn@gmail.com
Officers:
Glenis Daley, President
Victor Smith, Vice President
Vincent Samuels, Secretary/Treasurer, Newsletter Editor/Producer
Ann Hamilton, Assistant Secretary
OBJECTIVE The objective of BOSA Newsletter is to inform and educate the people in Beersheba School Community and all Beersheba Primary School Alumni in Jamaica and the Diaspora by means of clean and wholesome news. In doing so, the Newsletter will continue to highlight and celebrate their achievements, mourn their losses, defend their rights and articulate their needs. With meticulous calculated professional news reporting, the Newsletter will ceaselessly expose the entrenched culture of silence, secrecy, non-response and pussy-footing that has characterized the unscrupulous tyrannical oligarchy rule that is tarnished with nepotism that is designed to frustrate Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) as it continues to work assiduously as the safety net and mentor for voiceless and vulnerable students who reside in the impoverished peasant farming Beersheba Primary School Community from falling through the cracks cognizant of the fact, that had it not been for intervention from the Association, these students would be left alone to fend for themselves contrary to the vision of James “Dick” Richards, Beersheba Primary School Alumnus, Soldier, Self-made Businessman, Philanthropist and Icon.
REFLECTION ON BEERSHEBA PRIMARY SCHOOL ALUMNI THAT HAVE PASSED ON In keeping with the decision of Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) to support a paperless friendly environment and go green, effective from Volume 16 of its newsletter, the Association will no longer list in its newsletter the names of Beersheba Primary School Alumni that have passed on. All Beersheba Primary School Alumni, Honorary BOSA Members, Friends, Well-wishers, and all our other readers who are accustomed to see the names of those that have passed on listed in its newsletter, are asked to visit BOSA website: bosaonline.org where information is listed in full detains and it will be updated periodically. Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) wishes to express its sincere condolence to all family members and relatives of the deceased as they continue to grieve and mourn the loss of their love ones. May the memories of these bereaved love ones continue to linger in our heart and subliminal consciousness. Sunset in one land is sunrise in another.
DECISION TAKEN BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AT BEERSHEBA PRIMARY SCHOOL (GOVERNMENT LEASED) AND THE MANAGING COMMITTEE FOR JAMES RICHARDS EDUCATIONAL TRUST FUND RE SHANISA JONES, NOW GRADE 10 C STUDENT AT SAINT ELIZABETH TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL (STETHS)
BOSA comments on the above subject matter remains the same as they were written on page 1 of 12 and 2 of 12 in Volume 14 July 2013 of its Newsletter. Beersheba Primary School Alumni, Honorary BOSA Members, Friends, Well-wishers, and all readers of this newsletter are urged to visit BOSA website: bosaonline.org to view and read new articles posted on the website that will give them additional information with respect to this outstanding, contentious matter unresolved. Notwithstanding another written directive that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education sent by Jamaica Post Office Registered Letter to Rev. Phyllis Smith-Seymour, Chairman School Board at Beersheba Primary School, she continues to defy the directive of the Permanent Secretary by refusing to pay all outstanding amounts owed to the parties involved.
PROGRESS REPORT ON SHANISA JONES, NICKAYLA STEVENS, AND DAMANIKE SMITH SHANISA JONES Shanisa Jones who is now an Upper Six Form Student at Saint Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), in the pursuance of her goal to do medicine as her career, will sit her final four (4) subjects in Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in May 2016 in preparation to seek admission to Medical School. Shanisa received the award from her school in December 2015 for being the most outstanding student at the school.
NICKAYLA STEVENS Nickayla Stevens who is now in grade 11 at Saint Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), is currently involved in completing her School Based Assessment (SBA) assignment that will enable her to graduate in 2016 after she has sat the required subjects in Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Exam.
DAMANIKE SMITH Damanike Smith – part of the trio of excellent performing students from Flint Valley, New Market, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica West Indies, is now an grade 11 student at Saint Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) where like Nickayla Stevens, she is focused on completing her Student Based Assessment (SBA) Assignment that will enable to sit her CXC Examination and graduate from high school in 2016.
MEET SAMEIKA MAITLAND BOSA ADOPTED ACHIEVER AND TRAILBLAZER Sameika Maitland, financially challenged grade 8, Form 3 boarding student at Hampton School, Malvern, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica West Indies for whom Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) is safety net and monitor, received the Silver Award and recognition as a member of the Headmistress Round Table as commendation for her excellent academic performance for 2014/2015 school year. (Please view and read the news article that is posted on BOSA web page about Sameika’s achievement).
Beersheba Primary School Alumni, Honorary BOSA Members, Friends, Well-Wishers, Visitors to BOSA website and Readers of this newsletter in Jamaica and the Diaspora who would like to assist Sameika Maitland defray the cost of her boarding and tuition fees at Hampton School, should make checks (cheques) or money orders payable to Munro & Dickenson Trust – Hampton School and send them indicating that their donations is for Sameika Maitland, student ID 2923 to:
Mrs. Svetlana Crawford-Keane Bursar
Hampton School Malvern P.O.
Saint Elizabeth
Jamaica West Indies
Please notify BOSA by email: beershebaoldstudentsassn@gmail.com to let the association know that your donations have been sent to the Bursar so that they can be reconciled with her and promptly acknowledged. BOSA INVALUABLE BEERSHEBA PRIMARY SCHOOL ALUMNI, HONORARY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, AND WELL-WISHERS Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) wishes to place on record and express its sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the above persons for their invaluable support that they continue to give to the Association.
NEED FOR GSAT STUDENTS GRADUATING BEERSHEBA PRIMARY SCHOOL TO BE COMPUTER LITERATE
Against the backdrop of information given on page 2 of 10 Volume 15 October 2013 under the above heading, and in light of recent announcements made by the Ministry of Education with respect to the introduction and provision of Computer Tablets to each student at the Primary Level, Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) met with the School Board at Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) on December 4, 2013 to discuss the way forward regarding this matter. Decision taken at this meeting at which four (4) additional items that were used as terms of reference for this meeting, is that the Administration at Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) will take appropriate action to contact Stephen Curran, Network Design Director at Digicel Group, Kingston, Jamaica West Indies regarding his interest that he has indicated to Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) to provide Wireless Broadband Internet Service to the school notwithstanding the fact that his knowledge of the terrain in the area could be challenging to provide service to the school. Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) has not received any information from the School Board at Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) with respect to the outcome of the contact that the Board is expected to make with Stephen Curran, Network Design Director at Digicel Group.
BI-MONTHLY MEETINGS OF BOSA The Administration at Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased), has granted Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) permission to continue holding its bi-monthly general meeting in the main auditorium of the school. Meetings are held in the main auditorium at Beersheba Primary School bi-monthly on the second Friday commencing at 4:00 p.m.
FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTION WITH BOSA SUPPORT FUND FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BOSA Members, Honorary BOSA Members, Friends, Well-wishers, and other Beersheba Primary School Old Students who have not yet heard but who through the help of other Old Students, and this News Letter, will be made aware of BOSA existence and the work that the Association has been doing in the interest and welfare of students at Beersheba Primary School, are urged to make Checks(Cheques)Money Orders for their generous financial contribution to BOSA Support Fund payable to BEERSHEBA OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION and is to be mailed to: Vincent Samuels, Secretary/Treasurer, Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) at 99 Jacaranda Avenue, Flat Rocks Subdivision, Black River P.O., Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica West Indies.
All donations received will be promptly acknowledged in writing on BOSA official letter head. Persons living in Jamaica, West Indies may deposit their generous financial contribution to BEERSHEBA OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION Savings Account No. 4410317200298396 at any Branch of Sagicor Bank Jamaica Limited and advise the Secretary/Treasurer of the Association when the deposit has been made so that such contributions can be promptly acknowledged in writing.
MEET THE ACHIEVERS AND TRAILBLAZERS Another Achiever and Trailblazer that has followed in the footsteps of Dr. Lennox Rowe who was featured under the above heading in Volume 23 October 2015 of BOSA Newsletter is 24 year old Jermaine “Ryan” Haughton who recently graduated from the University Of Baltimore Law School, Maryland, USA as the most outstanding student.
Jermaine’s rise to fame was indeed a formidable task taking into consideration poverty in which he grew up in his native Watercrest District, Clarendon, Jamaica West Indies.
There are similarities and parallels in the struggles and countless challenges that Jermaine experienced when they are viewed against the backdrop of the ones that Dr. Lenoxx Rowe experienced during his Primary and High School attendance. Some of these similarities and parallels in the poverty stricken life of Jermaine Haughton during his attendance at Primary and High School and prior to his migration to the USA in 2005 are as follows:
He only had dinner four days per week and he considered himself lucky if he had dinner on the fifth day which meant that he remained hungry for two or three days per week.
- His two uncles and he shared the same book bag.
- Despite countless challenges, he always received excellent grades in his examinations that he sat in Primary and High School.
- He gives credit to his grandmother for maintaining a strong bond of love in the family circle by using jokes to keep everyone happy although they were hungry.
- Cognizant that education was the key to unshackle him from poverty, he developed an insatiable appetite for education that resulted in the recognition and accolades that he received from the University Of Baltimore Law School.
Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) which has zero tolerance for mediocrity but admire students from impoverished peasant farming communities everywhere in Jamaica and the Diaspora who have worked assiduously and used education to unshackle them from poverty, wish to BIG UP (Congratulate) Jermaine “Ryan” Haughton for adding his name to the BOSA HALL OF FAME as an Achiever and Trailblazer.
Editor’s Note: If Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) Alumni in Jamaica and the Diaspora would like to see themselves being featured under this heading, Alumni who have not yet responded to appeals made in BOSA Newsletters to send the Editor/Producer their curriculum vitae, academic, and communal profile as an attachment to the Association’s e-mail address: beershebaoldstudentsassn.@gmail.com as soon as possible so that they can be published in Volume 18 as well as future Volumes of the Newsletter.
RESOLUTION TO RENAME BEERSHEBA PRIMARY SCHOOL JAMES RICHARDS PRIMARY SCHOOL
As a result of the above subject matter being thoroughly discussed with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education in a meeting that was held at the Ministry’s Head Office in Kingston, Jamaica west Indies on March 13, 2013, and the matter being given full support by the Saint Elizabeth Parish Council, South Coast Resort Board and Jamaica Heritage Trust Foundation, Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) is hopeful that with the full backing of the entities named herein,the School Board at Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) will do the right thing so that James “Dick” Richards, Beersheba Primary School Alumnus, Soldier, Self-made Businessman, Icon and Philanthropist will be officially recognized and honoured as an integral part of the heritage in Beersheba School Community.
MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD BEERSHEBA PRIMARY SCHOOL, NEW MARKET, SAINT ELIZABETH, JAMAICA, WEST INDIES
The National Council on Education (NCE) has published the names of the following persons whom the Honourable Minister of Education has appointed to serve on the School Board at Beersheba Primary School (Government School), New Market, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica West Indies:
Chairman: Rev. Phyllis Smith-Seymour
Principal: Mrs. Tatlin Smith-Williams
Academic Member: Mrs. Naomi Foster-Brooks
PTA Member: Nickesha Lawrence
Community Member: Mr. Valdes Hamilton
Member 1: Mrs. Karen Walker
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THE ELESA HAMILTON SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME
Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) is pleased to announce that Harry Archer of New Savannah, New Market, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica West Indies and a member of the graduating class of 2015 at Beersheba Primary School, is the first qualified beneficiary that has satisfied the criterion of 85 average to benefit from Elesa Hamilton Scholarship Programme.
Harry Archer – an orphan who is currently under the care giving and guidance of Angella Balds – began attending Saint Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) where the Ministry of Education placed him as a grade 7 student on the basis of his performance in the 2015 Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).
Harry Archer whose tuition fee of JMD 24,000.00 was paid by the scholarship programme was provided with three (3) suits of khaki uniforms and school supplies by Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA).
Cognizant of the strict criteria by which the scholarship programme is administered, Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) has arranged for Vincent Brown, Retired Trained Teacher at Beersheba Primary School to monitor Harry Archer in his school work so as to ensure that he will consistently maintain 85 average that will enable him to continue to benefit from the scholarship programme.
GOLDEN THOUGHTS AND NUGGETS
“Planting a seed is destiny concealed but watering a seed is destiny revealed”
“Those women who chase after married men do so because they like the finished product but they do not like the process that leads to the finished product.”
Bishop T. G. Jakes
Sugar Daddies” is the name that certain flirting Jamaican young women have given to older Jamaican men with whom they choose to enter into intimate relationship because they contend that it is better for them to be old men’s sweetheart than to be young boys slave.”
From the lips of certain flirting Jamaican young women
Did you know that King Solomon’s legendary wisdom and his pursuit of knowledge, enabled him to speak three thousand (3,000) proverbs and he wrote one thousand and five (1,005) songs? King Solomon achieved this fame because he paid attention to details such as: plant life, the cedars of Lebanon, the hyssop that grew out of walls, animals, birds, reptiles and fish.” 1 Kings 4:34; 1 Kings 4:32-33
“The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happens to them all.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NIV) “whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for the realm of the dead where you are going, there is neither working nor planning , nor knowledge, nor wisdom.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV)
“Don’t forget to pray for me; and if you do not believe in God, please wish me well.” Pope Francis, as he spoke from the balcony of the US Congress Building to a large crowd that came to greet him after he addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress on September 23, 2015.
“Giving freely honours the Lord, helps others and blesses us.” Our Daily Bread Devotional, September 28, 2015
BOSA DEVOTIONAL The Peace Prayer of Saint Francis Assisi Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon, Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
Additional Editor’s Note: We wish to remind our readers that as part of its vision to contribute to a paper free environment as well as to use Information Technology (IT) to minimize cost, Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) will no longer circulate its Newsletters by Post Office and hand delivery. Effective immediately, BOSA Newsletters will be posted quarterly on its website: bosaonline.org. It is my sincere wish that all our readers will have a Peaceful, Blessed and Spirit-filled summer.
A heart that is focused on others will not be consumed with self”
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