KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Rotary Club of St Andrew North has announced a $7.5 million investment to rebuild the Performing Arts and Dance classroom at the St Jago High School in Spanish Town, St Catherine.

The initiative will serve as the club’s flagship project for the 2025–2026 Rotary year.

Incoming president Pierpoint Wilson revealed the plan during his installation ceremony on July 5, hosted at the residence of Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Mark Berman.

Wilson stressed the urgent need for the reconstruction, noting that the current classroom is in a hazardous state, with a collapsing roof and deteriorating floors that pose serious risks to both students and staff.

“We take on bold projects and push forward even when the odds are against us. But as Rotarians, we show up and make things happen,” Wilson said.

The project has already received a boost, with the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation contributing $800,000 towards the effort.

In addition to the St Jago initiative, Wilson announced plans to donate two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to educational institutions, one secondary and one tertiary, along with staff training.

This will be in support of Rotary District Governor, Professor William ‘Bill’ Aiken’s mission to bring awareness of cardiovascular health and life-saving interventions.

“Too many students have collapsed in sports fields without the necessary tools to resuscitate them or trained personnel to intervene, so we want to assist,” he said.