St. Jago High School
Encyclopedia
St Jago High School in Spanish Town
, St Catherine, Jamaica
, founded in 1744, is one of the oldest, continuously operated schools in the Western Hemisphere. It is renowned for graduating some of Jamaica's senior military officers, world class cricketers, academic scholars, performing artists, and Olympic athletes.
, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. It began as the Free School of St. Jago-de-la-Vega and later amalgamated two schools, Beckford and Smith (a boy's school) and Cathedral Girls High. Its grounds were commonly known as Ravensworth.
Spanish Town
Spanish Town is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the former Spanish and English capital of Jamaica from the 16th to the 19th century...
, St Catherine, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, founded in 1744, is one of the oldest, continuously operated schools in the Western Hemisphere. It is renowned for graduating some of Jamaica's senior military officers, world class cricketers, academic scholars, performing artists, and Olympic athletes.
History
St Jago was founded in 1744 under the will of Colonel Peter BeckfordPeter Beckford
Colonel Peter Beckford was acting Governor of Jamaica in 1702.Peter was the son of another Peter Beckford, of Maidenhead. Sir Thomas Beckford, Sheriff of London was his uncle as was Captain Richard Beckford, who was trading in Jamaica from 1659...
, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. It began as the Free School of St. Jago-de-la-Vega and later amalgamated two schools, Beckford and Smith (a boy's school) and Cathedral Girls High. Its grounds were commonly known as Ravensworth.
Extracurricular activities
- Sports, particularly track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. - Performing arts (participant in annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Performing Arts Festivals).
- School's Challenge Quiz Competition; winners on four occasions, most recently 2010.
Althletic houses
The school has 6 houses which compete for athletic honours:- Beckford (Red)
- Bell (Green)
- Campbell (Orange)
- Nutall (Purple)
- Smith (Blue)
- Wortley (Yellow)
Alumni - Jamaican leaders
- Norman Washington Manley, O.N., National Hero
- Lensley Wolfe O.J., Chief Justice of Jamaica
- Eleise Francis, judge
- Dr. Ken Rattray
- Michael HenryMichael Henry (Jamaican politician)Michael Henry is a Jamaican politician. He has been the Minister of Transport and Works in Jamaica since 2007 and submitted his resignation as Minister of Transport and works on November 30 2011. This resignation was tendered because of the controversy over the Jamaican Infrastructural Development...
, Member of Jamaican Parliament - Carl Rattray, Member of Jamaican Parliament
- Trevor Rhone, actor/playwright
Olympians include
- Melaine WalkerMelaine WalkerMelaine Walker O.D is a Jamaican 400 metres hurdler. Walker is the reigning World and Olympic 400 m hurdles champion...
, Olympic Gold medallist - Michelle FreemanMichelle FreemanMichelle Freeman is a former Jamaican track & field athlete who was an Olympic bronze medalist.Freeman was born in Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica...
, Olympic medallist sprint hurdler - Juliet CampbellJuliet CampbellJuliet Jean Campbell is a retired Jamaican sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres. She also competed on the successful Jamaican team in both 4 x 100 metres relay and 4 x 400 metres relay.-Achievements:...
, Olympic medallist sprinter - Gregory Meghoo, Olympic silver medallist sprinter
- Bertland Cameron, 400m world champion
- Kerron StewartKerron StewartKerron Stewart is a Jamaican sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She is the 2008 Jamaican national champion in the 100 m clocking 10.80s. She defeated World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown in the process and now is the 2008 Summer Olympics silver medalist after she...
, Olympic Silver medallist - Peta-Gaye Dowdie
- Yohan BlakeYohan BlakeYohan Blake is a Jamaican sprinter and the current 100 metre World Champion. He holds the national junior record for the 100 metres, and tied Seun Ogunkoya as the youngest sprinter to have broken the 10-second barrier...
, 2011 IAAF World Champion at 100 m2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 100 metresThe men's 100 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on August 27 and August 28. The event was won by Yohan Blake of Jamaica, who became the youngest ever world champion in the 100 metres at . The highly favored defending champion and world record...