LUCEA, Hanover — Stakeholders of Rusea’s High School in Hanover have welcomed the recent facelift given to the school’s gymnasium by United Way of Jamaica in collaboration with the Janet Richards Foundation. The project cost more than half-million dollars.

Work included adding five pieces of new exercising equipment, painting of existing equipment and interior walls as well as repairs to the concrete flooring. The upgraded gym was officially handed over to the school on Monday during a ceremony held at the institution.

Rusea’s, which was established in 1777, is the fourth-oldest continuously operated high school in Jamaica. It is well-known for its accomplishments in the areas of academics, music and sports. In fact, the school is an 11-time DaCosta Cup, four-time Ben Francis and six-time Olivier Shield champion. It also has the distinction of being the only DaCosta Cup team to win four trophies in one year.

DaCosta Cup player Rushaun Burt is thrilled about the gym upgrade which he said will help the team stay in shape.

“It will help us to get strong and fit so that when we come up against tough opponents we don’t have to worry about our strength and body because it will help us to get muscles and abs,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the entire school, Principal Donna Anderson expressed gratitude for the project. The school’s gym is eight years old and now that it has been upgraded, she said, it will be open for use to not only the entire school community but also the wider Hanover population.

“Normally, it would have been for the athletes but now that it has been renovated we have a wider vision. What we want to do is to ensure that the staff members, whether academic or administrative members and community members will have the use of it now,” stated Anderson.

“What we are going to do is to ensure that we have a strict policy and a log where persons sign in and out so that we have accountability,” she added.

She said that in order to ensure student safety, the gym will only be opened to the public at the end of school day and will be properly supervised.

Mayor of Lucea Sheridan Samuels, who is a Rusea’s graduate and former star footballer, was among those welcoming the upgrades made to the gym. He urged students to take care of it, a call endorsed by the principal.

Samuels is optimistic that the gym will help the school reclaim its dominance in football, athletics, cricket, netball and basketball.

The bulk of the funding needed to do the work, $500,000, was provided by United Way of Jamaica with the Janet Richards Foundation providing the rest and spearheading work on the ground.

Richards is a past student of the school who has a long history of giving back to the institution. She lauded students who helped with the project which was done between August and September.

“If you all know me, I am very passionate about Rusea’s. This is not my first, second or third project here at Rusea’s. I did major projects here with my colleagues. I tell people that I get everything from Rusea’s High School and since I left high school. I have never, ever, ever left Rusea’s for a year,” she stated.

She promised that, with the assistance of United Way, other projects will be carried out in the parish.

CEO of United Way of Jamaica Taneshia Stoney Dryden said the organisation she leads is willing to continue assisting the school.

“I want to see Rusea’s High School making an application again next year for our behaviour modification or our help initiatives or our education initiatives. I want to see maybe an institutional arrangement where the school doesn’t have to go through the bureaucracy of an application process. We are looking for a programmatic approach when we know that there is an understanding that there is a need in Rusea’s High, there’s a need in secondary schools and the United Way is your first place of choice,” stated Stoney Dryden.

“So, I am saying all of that to say this: I need the public, private sector to come on board, all hands on deck to join the United Way, join the Janet Richards Foundation, join the Rusea’s High School in making Jamaica the place of choice to live, raise families, do business and retire,” the CEO added.

In her remarks, Rusea’s graduate and Member of Parliament for Hanover Western Tamika Davis asked that her name be added to the list of people who can use the gym. She said it never occurred to her that the school could have that facility.

The MP also gave a commitment to explore how best she can assist the school.

Custos of Hanover Dr David Stair, in his remark pointed to the importance of the private sector playing its part by making donations to the gym that will be of benefit to the students.