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[ Photos - Wednesday's Reception ] [ Photos - Beach Day ] [ Photos - Sports Day ] [ Photos - Alumni Banquet ] [ Photo Gallery -New ]
The 1998 reunion was a tremendous success. The event held in Mandeville, Jamaica from July 2-8, 1998, was attended by alumni from all over the world. Hundreds of past students from the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Bulgaria, Canada, several countries in the Caribbean and of course Jamaica attended the four day event.
The event began on Wednesday night with a reception hosted by 1975 graduate Ricky Pink at the Bloomfield Great House, overlooking Mandeville. There alumni and teachers from the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties reminisced and met each other's families. The highlight of the evening was the viewing of old yearbooks where we were reminded of how much we had changed.
Thursday was beach day. It began bright and early with a trip to Idlers Rest in Black River. Alumni and their families enjoyed the warm waters of the beautiful Caribbean sea, ate jerk chicken, fried fish & bammy, played volley ball on the beach and danced to the music of Xanadu sound system.
After an exhausting day at the beach, those who still had the energy dragged themselves over to the Den, an old watering hole in Mandeville, for cocktails and a taste of its famous jerk chicken.
Friday's sports day saw more than 500 people come out to witness alumni make fools of themselves in old favorites like the egg and spoon race, shoes and socks race and three-legged race. The event, held on the school grounds, saw Carl Hendricks, an executive with Sandals resorts, fulfill a childhood dream when he beat Sandy Tatham in the shoes and socks race in a much talked about rematch from 25 years ago.
The much anticipated old boys versus present students soccer match proved to be as entertaining and exciting as promised. Where else could you get to see Dwight Blackwood, an attorney with the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, negotiate passes in such a deliberate manner. The old boys did their best, but in the end, youth prevailed. Final score Present Students 5, Old Boys 3.
Friday night saw us heading down to the bottom of Spur Tree Hill to Jim Lilly's, a popular night spot. There alumni partied until the wee hours of the morning before heading back up to Mandeville. Rumor has it that more than a few romances were rekindled.
Saturday morning's alumni association meeting was well attended, considering the events of the previous night. The alumni association was officially formed, and officers were elected.
Saturday night's big event, the alumni association banquet, was well attended. More than 350 guests including guest speaker, Alpart's General Manager, Gene Miller, enjoyed an evening of fine dining and dancing at Golf View Hotel in Mandeville. Bishop Murray opened the event with a prayer. Gene Miller congratulated Belair on 30 years of existence and noted that although Alpart's support was not as strong as before, he promised he would do what he could to improve it.
Mr. Shields, while basking in the 30-year celebration, reminded us that Belair faced difficult challenges ahead. She encouraged the alumni to support the school financially. The alumni association promised to muster all the help it can.
All in all, Reunion 1998 was an unqualified success. The next reunion is slated for 2003. Voluteers are welcome.
Please scroll to the top of the page and click on the links to see additional photos from Reunion 1998.
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