A multipurpose court, constructed through $2.8 million in funding from the
Digicel Foundation, was officially open on Thursday Feb. 2 at the all-girls
Westwood High School in Stewart Town, Trelawny.
The project entailed the refurbishing of the existing netball court, with
facility also put in for basketball and volleyball. The court has been fully
enclosed with perimeter fencing. The wider Stewart Town community is expected
to benefit from the project.
Addressing students, teachers and community members at the official handing
over ceremony on Feb. 2, Executive Vice Chairman of the Digicel Foundation,
Major Robert Neish, said that his organisation believes in education and
community development.
“This court here at Westwood will be used to develop discipline, which I
already know is a strong point at this school and you will also be developing
responsibility and team work,” he stated.
Major Neish informed that to date, Digicel has established some eight
multi-purpose courts across Jamaica, which “are designed to help communities
grow and develop and eventually become a meeting place, an area for friendship
and fellowship and of course, keen competition”.
Expressing appreciation to Digicel, Principal of the school, Karen Francis,
said the facility will assist the students in preparing for sporting
competitions “which will (help) foster teamwork and a spirit of competition
among our girls and other schools in our area."
She noted that Westwood High School has a long tradition of academic
excellence, and of enduing its students with a fine sense of responsibility,
citizenship and community and “we believe that sports is an excellent medium
for this and we have sought to broaden the horizons of our students by
incorporating sports in our curriculum”.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for South Trelawny, where the school is
located, Marissa Dalrymple-Phillibert, commended Digicel Foundation for the
level of interest and investment in the people of Jamaica and students of
Westwood in particular.
“I would like to thank you and … assure you that such investment will be
beneficial to our girls here as they continue to develop in mind, body and
spirit,” she stated.
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