Scholarship dollars, goodies flow at Somerton Day 2025
Published:Tuesday | July 15, 2025 | 12:06 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
The spirit of community was alive and well in Somerton, St James, on Saturday as overseas-based natives and their local counterparts joined forces in handing out thousands of dollars in scholarships, school supplies, and social services against a backdrop of rich entertainment.
With the community-based sound system pounding out pulsating music all day, there were smiling faces all around the Oneness Oval, a sporting facility developed by Somerton’s most revered son, reggae icon and movie star Jimmy Cliff. The event was dubbed Somerton Day 2025.
Two of the community’s bright sparks, Tyrone Ellis and Hailey Anglin, the top boy and top girl at the Somerton Primary School for the academic year 2024-2025, walked away with two of several $30,000 scholarships along with brand new HP laptops.
“My scholarship of J$30,000 went to the top boy, who will be going to Rusea’s High School in September,” said United States-based Blondel Keen, whose scholarship is name in memory of her mother and father, Lesma and George Keen.
“The support is not a one-off thing; it will continue right through the school life of this young man.”
In addition to Ellis and Anglin, other grade-six students who did well in their Primary Exit Profile examinations and will be heading off to high school in September, were also recipients of $30,000 scholarships.
For the students who will be returning to Somerton Primary in September, they were gifted much-needed school supplies, which they gleefully accepted.
“This year we are handing out over 400 school bags alongside books, pens, pencils and other school supplies,” said Sandra Dewar, another United States-based Jamaican who has been one of the driving forces behind the event, now in its fourth year. “We are delighted to do this because, in addition to taking some of the financial burden off the parents, this is our way of giving back to our beloved Somerton.”
To make the initiative a wholesome affair, teams from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and other agencies were on hand to offer a variety of services to the community.
The team from the Ministry of Health and Wellness was kept busy all day, offering dental care, blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests, cholesterol tests, and even manicures and pedicures, of which old and young availed themselves.
“I could not pass up the opportunity to get pampered,” said Yvonne Pearson. “I got at ‘footchal’ and a ‘handshal’ (pedicure and manicure).”
In addition to handing out educational pamphlets, the representative from the NIS was kept busy explaining the various services offered by the scheme, including the many ways persons can benefit from the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education and other social services.
For the persons who showed up to just have a good time, they had more than enough to choose from the variety of cooked meals, fruits, beverages and freshly picked coconuts. In relation to activities, while the older folk were involved in table games such as dominoes and ludo, the youngsters enjoyed the bounce-about, running novel track events, engaging in tug-o-war and playing football.
“Today is about coming together as one big happy Somerton family. We have a very proud heritage to preserve. Somerton has produced renowned personalities such as former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, former speaker of the House of Representatives Violet Nielson, reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, noted film producer Lennie Little-White, Dr Bizu Irving, and reggae singer Screwdriver. We have a good history in Somerton,” said Keen.
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, the member of parliament for St James East Central, where Somerton is located, was present for the event and heaped praise on the Somerton Re-Connection Group, which organised the event.
“This is a good thing for the community. I like it very much. It is something that I would like to see replicated in other communities,” said Bartlett. “I must commend the members from the diaspora who have seen it fit to give back to their community ... this is the essence of family and community.”