TOP AWARDEES IN PERFORMING ARTS SHOW OFF QUALITY
PORT ANTONIO, Portland; April 18, 2025
Portland celebrated the top performers in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) Performing Arts Competition for 2025, in an evening of Excellence on Wednesday evening, April 16, 2025.
The Performing Arts Parish Awards Ceremony was held at Port Antonio High School, where the top performers in this year’s competition performed and were awarded. The top performers moved on to the National Finals.
(Port Antonio Primary School doing the Quadrille)
Orton Manahan chaired the Evening of Excellence.
Dr Doreen Campbell and the Port Antonio Theatre Group took several awards.
(Tamesha Wilson, left, Miss Portland 2024, handing over an award to PortAnotnio Theatre Group. The Group won several awards in the Performing Arts.)
Guest speaker was Richard Derby, vice principal of Manchioneal Primary and Infant School.
The Performing Arts competition is executed through and highlights stalwarts who have shone bright in the areas of five (5) subject areas, namely, Dance, Drama, Music, Speech and the Traditional Folk Forms.
The top winners of medals and certificates are identified through an accumulated point system, where points are earned for each type of medal and certificate. The Parish Awards Ceremony further promotes the Performing Arts Competition through the showcasing of the outstanding talents
(Aneita Rodney, teacher and member of the Port Antonio Theatre Group, showing her trophy. She won a gold medal at the Parish finals for the dub poem, entitled “When,” written by Dr. Maureen Campbell).
MOST OUTSTANDING SCHOOL/GROUP AWARDED AREAS:
- Music – Port Antonio Primary School Culture Club
- Speech – Port Antonio Theatre Group
- Drama – Port Antonio Theatre Group
- Dance – Liberty Learning Centre
- Traditional Folk Forms – Port Antonio Primary School
(Port Antonio Theatre Group performing their revival piece. They got the highest award in Traditional Folk Forms at the National Finals 2025).
MOST OUTSTANDING TEACHER *
* In Music – Ashley-Jade Salmon-Grant
* in Speech – Dr. Maureen Campbell
* in Drama – Dr. Maureen Campbell
* in Dance – Andrew Bailey
* in Traditional Folk Forms – Sonia Matthews
Most Outstanding Performance
- In Music – Port Antonio Primary School culture club;
- In Speech – Empowerment Learning Centre
- In Drama – Port Antonio High School
- In Dance – Liberty Learning Centre
- In Traditional Folk Forms – Port Antonio Theatre Group
