We are certain that our story about high school senior Mr Dushawn Daley has lifted spirits and triggered numerous smiles.

Mr Daley, a grade 11 student at Cumberland High, located in Portmore, St Catherine, says he is the only one from that school scheduled to compete in the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) scheduled for March 24-28. He is apparently unperturbed by his unique status and we admire his confidence that he will “do well”.

Mr Daley, who will sit four Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) subjects following a passing grade in agricultural science last year, is preparing to compete in the 100m and 200m as well as the javelin throw at Champs.

He explained to our reporter that his school community, his club (Racers Track Club), and his family are backing him. None moreso than Mr Daley’s stepfather, Mr Kingsley Elliott, who — if a photograph is to be taken as indicator — shed a tear or two while declaring himself “fully behind” his stepson.

Crucially, Mr Daley, who aspires to a career in mechanical engineering or massage therapy, underlines the value of sport as an adjunct to academics. He tells us that he is aiming for a scholarship to university, either in Jamaica or overseas.

We believe Mr Daley’s story also emphasises the importance of sports way beyond winning — either as school or as individual athlete.

We believe it’s useful to contemplate that the living legend Mr Usain Bolt, a high school star and world junior champion in his teens, attended William Knibb Memorial High in deep-rural Trelawny. That school has never been in the reckoning as far as winning Champs was concerned, but there can be little doubt that Mr Bolt’s experiences at what some consider the globe’s premier high school athletics event helped shape his future.

Let’s consider the case of celebrated sprinter Mr Asafa Powell, a past student of Charlemont High in St Catherine, who competed at Champs gaining very little attention. Yet he caught the discerning eye of track coach Mr Stephen Francis, who spotted a jewel waiting to be polished and unveiled.

For, as the acclaimed Mr Francis suggested a long time ago, schools shouldn’t only be focused on winning Champs. Very importantly, he said, they should be striving to produce champions.

And what better time to focus on the development and production of champions than now, following Hurricane Melissa’s destructive rampage through western Jamaica?

We are told that title sponsor, industrial/commercial giant GraceKennedy Group will be providing a total $202 million to this year’s Champs. That includes a primary sponsorship of $108 million and brand add-ons amounting to $94 million.

As it has repeatedly done down the years, GraceKennedy gave the assurance at this week’s launch ceremony that the company will support the high school championships for the long haul.

Mr Frank James, GraceKennedy’s chief executive officer, says the company feels particularly committed in a context in which more than 25 schools in western Jamaica which were hit hard by the hurricane plan to be at Champs.

Says he: “When you see… the schools in the west… coming out, then you know that if they can step up to the plate then we must also…”

And, we applaud ISSA for its plan to donate money from bleachers’ ticket sales on the second day of the championships to Melissa-hit schools.

We are relieved, too, to hear from Meet Director Mr Anthony Davis that appropriate steps have been taken to correct dysfunctions which led to scores of false starts at last year’s Champs. Glitches such as those can only hinder, not facilitate the nurturing of champions.