GRANGE HILL, Westmoreland — Bucking its reputation of being a violence-torn community, residents of Grange Hill have come together to mark the 100th anniversary of their primary school.

Among the activities planned is the Grange Hill Primary School Centennial Committee’s commitment to completing two main projects this year. These include planting 100 trees on the school compound and in surrounding communities, in addition to installing two ceiling fans in each classroom. They are halfway through the fan project; 30 have been purchased and will be installed in the coming days.

“Having fans in the classrooms helps to reduce the risk of fatigue, sluggishness and difficulty concentrating during class sessions,” a member of the school’s public relations committee, Katrina Grant-D’Aguilar, told the Jamaica Observer. “[A cool environment] creates a conducive learning environment. It’s learning in comfort and style, learning with a smile.”

Twenty trees have been planted so far, with the aim of beautifying and creating a healthier environment. This project is scheduled to be completed in May. It has unified Grange Hill and neighbouring communities with students, board members, committee members, staff, parents and residents coming together to plant trees and beautify the school and the town.

Principal Clayton Smith is working alongside the centennial committee, Grange Hill Primary School Past Students’ Association, and the Grange Hill Primary School board. They are confident that students will impact society positively once they graduate, just as other graduates have done before.

Grange Hill Primary boasts several esteemed alumni such as guest speaker at the recent centenary celebratory dinner, Justice Patrick Lipton Robinson, who was a judge at the International Court of Justice from February 2015 to 2024; Dennis Hawthorne, owner of Dennis Shipping; Moses Chybar, president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and owner of Icon Importers and Distributors; Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte; track sensations Tina and Tia Clayton; and Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2008 Katrina Grant D’Aguilar. They are all active members who contribute in one way or the other to the institution.

During the centenary celebrations there will be recognition of the work they, other alumni and residents from the wider community have done to support the school. This has helped boost the morale of the students, many of whom are experiencing trauma from gun violence, and who are mostly from low-income families.

“Violence in the community does not necessarily affect the school [directly or] on a long-term basis, due to the location of the school,” Principal Smith shared with the Observer.

He noted, however, that students are indirectly impacted by events that occur in communities where they live.

“We have looked at the psycho-social happenings within our community. Our guidance counsellors have sessions with the children and also put on parenting sessions to help the parents deal with the trauma [of violence]. We do feeding programmes and sometimes we package [groceries] and give to the parents. Books are donated to students who are in need, as it is rough sometimes because of the loss of breadwinners in our community due to the violence,” Smith said.

“It is my desire to see Grange Hill return to its former glory,” he added. “The community has so much potential but has allowed a few to tarnish its reputation. As principal of the school, my aim is to help the students in my care [to] understand that they have the potential and the opportunity to make the community shine again.”