FIFTY-FOUR educators and support staff of Campion College — who have given a combined total of more than 1,000 years of service — were honoured at the institution’s long-service awards ceremony on Monday.

The honourees included former board Chairman Anton Thompson; former principals, Grace Baston and Radley Reid; 35 teachers; 11 support staff; and one coach.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dana Morris Dixon, who addressed the function, commended the award recipients, some of whom have served up to 40 years at the institution.

Morris Dixon, also a graduate of Campion, noted that the function is a celebration of excellence in education and school leadership.

“Campion College is one of our top-performing schools in Jamaica…and it doesn’t happen by accident. Excellence is really deliberate. You have to have good leaders, good chairs, good principals, and that is what [we] are honouring tonight – that long trajectory of having really good leaders at this school.

“I think it’s a really good example for us in the ministry of what we are trying to do across the system, which is to ensure we have strong leadership in our schools,” said Morris Dixon.

“Campion doesn’t have to be an anomaly. There can be others in this country,” Morris Dixon added.

For his part, Principal Lavare Henry said that the honourees, some of whom have served under four principals, made the institution what it is today.

He said that they have helped to shape well-rounded people who have aided the growth and advancement of Jamaica.

Henry specially recognised the support staff, noting that they “provide the environment in which this excellence can be achieved, and where important life lessons beyond the classroom are learned”.

— JIS