REUNITED AND IT FELT SO GOOD 30 YEARS ON
RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann, May 1, 2025
Members of the Ferncourt High School Class of 1995 celebrated their thirtieth high school reunion with three days of togetherness, in fine style, recently.
The celebrations started Easter Saturday, April 19, continued on Easter Sunday, and ended with a banquet on Tuesday, April 22, all in St Ann.
The celebrations kicked off with the third annual Football Fiesta on Easter Saturday, hosted by the Class of the 90s, where past and present students, along with friends from surrounding high schools in St. Ann, gathered for food, fun, and football matches at Ferncourt in Claremont, St Ann. It was capped by the match-of-the-day between old boys of Ferncourt and York Castle high schools.
(Reunion Committee chair Karen Sweeney Stevens and guest speaker Dionne Wynter Pfunde)
The members of the Class of ‘95 were among those worshipping at Claremont Anglican Church on Easter Sunday. The current principal of the school, Sheldon Thomas, was also in attendance. Immediately after the service, members paid homage at the grave of Iris Simpson, founder of Ferncourt High School, and her late husband, JJ Simpson, in the church cemetery.
(Former teachers, from left, Ronamay Harvey, Sharon Lee Grant, Hirfa Grant Arscott, and Earl Lugg participating in a 90s Trivia game.)
The climax of the celebrations came on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, when the Class of ‘95 lived up to the theme “ Reflecting On Our Roots, Celebrating Our Journeys And Connecting For A Better Future” at the banquet at Holiday Haven Resort in Runaway Bay, St Ann.
The ambiance was all set for celebration and nostalgia with great company and delicious food. The ballroom was decked out with decorations of the school’s colours and a blend of gold; music of the 90s, a 360 photo booth, and alumni and their guests clad in denim and blazers. Some sported masquerade masks.
(Planning Committee: From left, Sashette Simpson Powell, Dameon Fullerton, Nicolette Rose, Camilo Trench, Karen Sweeney-Stevens, Commica Thomas Riley, Lenworth Duhaney)
Talented alumnus Rykaelia Riley’s opening act of a dance ministry was followed by Ricardo Buchanan, the lyrical DJ who wrote and freestyled a song that captured everyone’s attention. Then came the talented international saxophonist Raine Davis.
(Ferncourt v York Castle Oldboys teams)
The class had the opportunity to reconnect with some of their favourite teachers who were invited. A powerful toast was delivered to them by Dr. Darien Henry, and the former teachers expressed how proud they were to share this moment with the Class of ‘95.
In attendance were: Principal Sheldon Thomas, and former teachers Earl Lugg, Hirfa Grant Arscott, Ronamay Harvey, and Sharon Lee Grant. Apologies came from Glen Ansine, Pansy Halloway Ansine, and Robin McKoy.
Camilo Trench gave the welcome.
Commica Thomas Riley did the invocation
(Raine Davis thrilled the audience.)
Kerry Ann Chong did the vote of thanks. She also walked away with the prize for getting the most correct answers in the 90s Trivia students’ competition.
(Together again, capturing the moment at the dinner)
DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME
“It is said that high school reunions are no easy tasks to take on, especially the farther away you get from graduation. To contact alumni and initiate funding may be the two most challenging tasks to get a reunion plan off the ground. We had alumni from all over the world, and as far as Switzerland, who made the trip, but with great efforts, the reunion dinner and ceremony were very successful,” said committee chair Karen Sweeney Stevens. Other members of the Reunion Committee were Camilo Trench, Commica Thomas Riley, Dameon Fullerton, Lenworth Duhaney, Nicolette Rose, Sashette Simpson Powell, Wadsworth Samuels, and Wendy-Ann Steer.
(Paying respects to Iris Simpson, at the church cemetery)
Sponsors in the various categories were: Platinum — Marsha Lawful, Wadsworth Samuels, Wynter Law Practice, and Xplore with Savvy Sweeney; Gold — Omar Brown Consultancy and Success Coach; Silver — H2O Technical Services Limited, Kayon Bennett Webley, Kerry -Ann Chong, Mama T’s Café, Shanan Murray, and Tyrone Ellis. The Class is to make a donation to the school from the proceeds.
Dameon Fullerton introduced the keynote speaker, Dionne Wynter Pfunde. Mrs Wynter Pfunde, an FHS alumnus, is President, CEO, and Founding Partner at Wynter Law Practice based in Florida.
Mrs Sweeney Stevens was given a plaque by the banquet reunion committee as an expression of thanks for spearheading the event.
Master of Ceremonies Sheryl McKoy-Thompson charmed all in attendance. It was a midnight departure from Holiday Haven with class members asking, ‘When next?’
FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL… Friends who were together from St Ann’s Bay Primary School, through to FHS , share a moment at the dinner. From left: Kirk Smith, Karen Sweeney Stevens and Camilo Trench
