KINGSTON, Jamaica – Calabar High has kicked plans into high gear for its 103rd anniversary.

In a statement to the media Tuesday, the Calabar Old Boys’ Association said it’s moving to solidify its reputation as an academic and sporting heavyweight. To coincide with its anniversary, Calabar has formally announced the construction of a Calabar Centre of Excellence to commemorate its 103rd annual Founders’ Day celebration, which will be observed on September 12, 2015.

“The Centre of Excellence will host the new office of the Old Boys’ Association, a Calabar Museum, a memorabilia store and café, and will also serve as a student and teacher outreach office,” Calabar Old Boys’ Association’s (COBA) president, David Miller, said.

Each year, “the Lions” of Red Hills Road celebrate Founders’ Day with a series of activities to mark the school’s establishment over a century ago. Calabar was founded for the purpose of educating the children of Baptist ministers and poor blacks, at a time when most prominent high schools in the country catered primarily to the “elite”.

Calabar has risen to prominence since its founding years, but has remained committed to its core principle of imparting wholesome values to groom young men into respectable leaders. The results of this commitment have been reflected in the cadre of leaders the institution has produced across various sectors, including academia, business, the arts, and sports.

In the statement yesterday – the Old Boys’ Association noted that among the outstanding people who have been influenced by the Calabar experience are: former Prime Minister of Jamaica Percival James Patterson; academic powerhouse, the late Norman Girvan; journalism icon, the late Wilmot ‘Mutty’ Perkins; along with athletics trailblazers Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley.