KINGSTON, Jamaica — At different times during the 1980s, Mohinder Nathan and Ronald Jackson attended Calabar High School and savoured their years there. They credit the life lessons at the Red Hills Road institution for their development as adults, and the inspiration for starting Sons of Rabalac eight years ago.

Sons of Rabalac (Calabar spelt backwards) comprise nine Calabar ‘old boys’ who live in the United States, Canada and Barbados. They stage events, mainly in the US, that assists the school’s academic and sports programmes. Their latest venture is Calabar’s Green and Black 7

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 Anniversary, a party that takes place at Karu night club on June 15 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

But for Nathan, Sons of Rabalac’s members played football for Calabar at different levels. Its roster is completed by Geddes Alexander, Dave Green, Leroy Harding, Everton Jackson, Orville Murphy, Gareth Phillips and Ralston Phillips.

Nathan, who attended Calabar from 1988 to 1992, told OBSERVER ONLINE that Sons of Rabalac have promoted 24 events to date. All benefited their alma mater.

 “We have raised approximately J$4 million with 100 per cent of all proceeds from each event benefitting Calabar High School.  We have provided scholarships for approximately five students that have demonstrated great academic potential while facing significant financial hardships.  We also contribute to the Schools Challenge Quiz team, have remodelled a science lab, aided the basketball and football programmes,” he revealed.

Nathan added that his organisation is in regular dialogue with Calabar administrators and its Old Boys Association to pinpoint financially-challenged students with academic potential. As well as educational projects that require urgent funding.

Once their due diligence is complete, funds from the events are disbursed.

“We work with the school administration to identify students who meet the academic requirements and the other social criteria. Students must achieve at a minimum 75 per cent pass mark and must be from a single-family, low-income household,” said Nathan.

Eight Sons of Rabalac left Calabar in the 1990s (Harding in 1988). They wore the school’s distinctive green-and-black colours during a period of athletic dominance at Boys Championships, victories coming in 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1990.

Calabar won the School’s Challenge Quiz in 1989 and were competitive in the Manning Cup football competition. Jackson, who spent 1983 to 1990 at Calabar, said he and his colleagues have never forgotten the discipline and drive that make their school successful.

“The school environment provided countless reminders of the great Sons of Rabalac who came before us and excelled academically and in sports and who have established themselves as key contributors to nation building,” Jackson told OBSRVER ONLINE.

 “These provided key role models that motivated me to make my own mark in society.  Most of all, it instilled the values of family and brotherhood and the importance of ‘paying forward’ to those who would come after us so that they also could have an opportunity and rich experience through the hallowed halls of Calabar.”

Howard Campbell