Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
St Jago High School track and field star, Yohan Blake (right), accepts a sponsorship cheque from Cable & Wireless Jamaica's (C&WJ) vice-president, corporate communications and corporate affairs, Errol K. Miller, on behalf of the St Jago Penn Relays team at C&WJ's corporate office on Half-Way Tree Road in St Andrew yesterday.
TELECOMMUNICATION GIANT Cable and Wireless Jamaica extended its annual link with high schools and one tertiary institution by contributing money to offset expenses associated with their participation in the Penn Relays.
The prestigious event will run from Thursday, April 24 through to Saturday, April 26, at the Pennsylvania University in Philadelphia.
From a $550,000 package, 18 institutions, including non-traditional high schools such as Mona and Clan Carthy, received donations of $30,000 each, plus a $1,000 'Jus Talk' calling card, that will give each school 200 minutes of talk time to facilitate communication with their people here in Jamaica.
"This is a very, very proud occasion for us here at Cable and Wireless," vice-president of corporate communications and corporate affairs, Errol K. Miller, told representatives of the institutions and media representatives at the press briefing and presentation ceremony at its corporate office on Half-Way Tree Road yesterday afternoon. "We have been doing this for 16 years ... we think it's important to support our youngsters," Miller said.
Jamaican schools have dominated the meet in a major way over the years and have basically swept the big races - the Championship of Americas relays - on many occasions.
Indications that this tradition will be maintained were quite strong amid the gathering at C&W yesterday, with many of the country's top juniors representing their schools, including St. Jago High's Yohan Blake, Calabar High's Ramone McKenzie, Manchester High's Natoya Goule, Vere Technical's Jura Levy and St Andrew High's Latoya McDermott.
The company's president and chief executive officer, Phil Green, spoke of the country's track-and-field tradition and implored the athletes to have fun and try their best.
Strong tradition
"Jamaica has a very strong tradition ... I'm sure that you will do well. Do the very best you can for yourself and Jamaica," encouraged Green, an Australian who has been with C&WJ for eight months now.
During a conversation with coaches and athletes in the audience, Green noted: "You have got a huge challenge ahead of you ... but enjoy it, have fun, it's a very unique learning experience. I hope you will all achieve a personal best. Best wishes, best of luck. Do enjoy a fantastic opportunity."
The University of Technology is the lone tertiary beneficiary among the group. The 17 high schools are Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha), Kingston College, Edwin Allen, Camperdown, Campion, Vere Technical, Wolmer's, Mona, The Queen's School, St George's College, Clan Carthy, St Andrew, St Jago, Jamaica College, Ardenne, Calabar and Manchester.
