Wolmer’s backs STETHS’ Hurricane Melissa relief efforts
Published:Thursday | November 27, 2025 | 12:11 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
IN A heartfelt act of solidarity, the Wolmer’s Boys’ School football team has stepped forward to support St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) following the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, which left classrooms damaged, sporting facilities compromised, and several students displaced.
Led by the school’s football programme, the Wolmer’s team was invited to attend a practice game, and a decision was made to use the opportunity to organise donations.
The drive brought together students, parents, and team management in an effort to uplift their peers on the south coast.
The Category 5 storm left portions of St Elizabeth severely impacted, damaging classrooms, uprooting trees, flooding playing fields, and destroying essential learning materials at several institutions, including STETHS.
As images of the damage circulated, the Wolmer’s community quickly mobilised a coordinated relief response.
Student members of the Wolmer’s under-16 and under-19 teams, along with sponsors GraceKennedy’s Mighty Malt and Medical and Disposable Supplies Limited, through their brand Splirt, participated, turning what began as a small gesture into one of the school’s most impactful outreach efforts in recent years.
Though Wolmer’s and STETHS are often fierce rivals on the track and football field, administrators highlighted that the gesture reflects something deeper than competition.
“Rivalry ends where humanity begins. STETHS has produced some of Jamaica’s finest scholars and athletes. Supporting them in a time of need was never a question, it was our responsibility,” said Jerome Waite, head coach of Wolmer’s Manning Cup team.
Keith Wellington, principal at STETHS, expressed gratitude as the Wolmerians
delivered supplies directly to the Santa Cruz campus.
“This support means more than they know. Many of our students lost everything; some lost their roofs, some their books, and some their sense of normalcy. Wolmer’s Boys’ School has given us hope,” he said.
“In times like these, we see the true meaning of Jamaica as one people. The support from Wolmer’s has lifted our spirits and given our students hope as we rebuild,” he added.
Beyond material aid, Wolmer’s students also played two practice games with the STETHS’s team. The relief team delivered a wide range of items, including: non-perishable food, bottled water, and sports gear to help restart extra-curricular programmes. Parents and the football management of Wolmer’s Boys’ also contributed generously, turning the effort into a full community initiative.
“What happened today shows that school spirit doesn’t end at the boundaries of a campus. It extends to the wider Jamaican community,” said Leighton Davis, manager of the Wolmer’s Manning Cup team.
The collaboration between the two schools has been celebrated as an example of how Jamaica’s education community can unite in moments of hardship.
Officials from the school sector applauded the initiative, noting that student-led outreach efforts have become an important part of the national disaster recovery.