Students at Holy Trinity High School in Central Kingston are singing a new song.

According to 20-year music instructor Andrew Coley, their participation in the school choir has served as a turnaround for several of them who were previously disruptive and maladjusted.

“Before students joined the school choir, teachers and parents had complained about their bad behaviour,” Coley said. He reported that students’ attire and speech have improved as a result of the discipline that accompanies music education.

Jahnice Solomon invited her schoolmate Markia Kirkland to join the choir just over one year ago. Both girls are now lead singers in the group that have been invited to perform locally and overseas. One of their most recent assignments was performing at the swearing in ceremony for Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ Cabinet members earlier this month.

“Whenever I sing, it makes me feel better. It has opened my mind to see the world in a totally different light. Music has helped to put my mind at ease, especially when I am doing my schoolwork,” Solomon said.

Aspiring to be an internationally acclaimed singer, Kirkland said singing brings her peace.“Whenever I am singing, I feel myself in a different world. I feel so relaxed, and I am able to enjoy my performance,” she said.

The two were belting out a rendition of reggae legend Bob Marley’s Redemption Song in the small space currently being used as the music room when we arrived for the interview.

Another choir member, Shekiana Russell, says the Marley rendition has kept her motivated. She disclosed that it has been hard on her mother to provide for the family and the song reminds her not to become enslaved by her circumstances. “Singing makes me happy. I give less trouble and I am able to focus on my schoolwork and what is important,” Russell said.

Music instructor Coley said he has managed to keep the choir motivated by sharing his life experiences with them. “We find the talent and we try to enhance it. I tell them they can go anywhere and perform and use their God-given talent to improve their lives,” he said.

“They know I am very strict. I sit and talk with them first, and I outline my expectations of them. Those who are unable to adhere to the requirements normally leave,” Coley added.

Holy Trinity High School, named after the Holy Trinity Cathedral, was formerly St Anthony’s Senior School. It is a Catholic institution that was established by the Franciscan Sisters at West Street in Kingston, in the late 1940s. The school was later relocated to Orange Street where it operated under the leadership of the Sisters of Mercy, founders of Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha).

In 1953, the school was relocated to properties owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston at 18 Emerald Road (now George Headley Drive), the home of the world-famous Sabina Park cricket ground.

It was renamed Holy Trinity Comprehensive High School in 1995, and admitted its first batch of Common Entrance students. The ‘Comprehensive’ was later dropped in 2001, in keeping with the Ministry of Education’s policy of upgrading comprehensive high schools.