Tuesday, October 15, 2007

Excelsior Alumni Association Paulette Mullings Bradnock (L) and honoree  Dr.  Goulda Downer react to comment by MC Allan (Bucka) Jones.

Excellence was recognised as four outstanding past students were bestowed with honors at the Excelsior Alumni Association (USA) Inc's., 38th Annual Dinner Dance and Awards Presentation on Saturday October 13, 2007.

At the end of the function, as many poured out into the crisp autumn morning, many alumni were already making plans to locate other classmates in anticipation of attending next year's event.

Living up to its billing as an evening of fun and laughter, the event held at Ramada Plaza Hotel at the JFK International airport got underway with the Master of Ceremonies Allan “Bucka” Jones, who had flown in from Toronto just for the occasion, leading the singing of the United States and the Jamaica national anthems. Millicent Butler, one of the Association’s pioneers, offered invocation.                      

In her address to the throng, the Association’s President, Paulette Mullings Bradnock, thanked them for their continued support and kept them abreast of the work that the Association has been doing in helping Excelsior High School. President Mullings Bradnock went on to congratulate the evening’s honorees for their distinguished and deserving awards.  She made special recognition of surprise guests, Lebert and Winsome Halliman, two of the Association’s 2005 honorees, and personally thanked them for their effort in the re-introduction of the sixth-form at Excelsior.

This year’s honors went to four past students who have distinguished themselves in their own way: world renowned opera singer, Sir Willard “Bigger” White; university professor and television personality, Dr. Goulda Downer; retired insurance industry pioneer and patriot, Oliver Jones; and the Association’s own, philanthropist Rose Davis.

Due to prior commitments in Europe, however, Sir Willard was unable to attend and was honored in absentia.  Allan Jones accepted the award on his behalf

Allan( Bucka) Jones (c) accepts the Distinguished Alumnus Award on behalf of Sir Willard White from President Paulette Mullings Bradnock (l) and Assemblyman Nick Perry, while another Distinguished Alumnus honoree Oliver Jones (c) is flanked by Dr.Owen Jones (l) and Assemblman Perry, as he accepts his award

The Honorable Nick Perry, New York State Assemblyman and long-time friend of the Association, presented a citation on behalf of the New York State Assembly to each honoree.

If laughter makes for good therapy, or for that matter a good appetizer, then emcee Bucka Jones brought a lot of it from Canada with him. He kept the evening going with amusing anecdotes from his time at Excelsior, and punctuated his remarks with a series of comic stories that had the audience doubling over in laughter. Each succeeding joke elicited spontaneous guffaws from the audience and permeated the Ramada ballroom with mirth and merriment.

The air was filled with nostalgia and nods of recognition as the mood was set by Bucka who had the gathering clapping and stomping (cheerleader style) in unison to the beat “AGE.”

Honoree Rose Davis (L) sharess a light moment with mentor and former teacher, Mrs.  Allison Peart, Senior Vice Principal of Excelsior

The evening, however, clearly belonged to honoree Rose Davis. With many of her peers from the Class of 1980 arrayed around the Hall, she was a picture of radiance as she basked in the glow of the cheers from her classmates and admirers. No sooner had she taken the podium to receive her award,than Rose’s little grandstand erupted in cheers.  The love was indeed reciprocal as she attributed her inspiration and success to her class of 1980, teachers Cynthia Marchand and Allison Peart, mentor Dr. LaRita Woods, and in fact dedicated her award collectively to them .

Perhaps the evening can best be summed up in the words one of the honorees, Dr. Goulda Downer, “The entire meal was simply a gastronomical delight!” an effusive and gracious Dr. Downer related to the assembled alumni and guests, “I must have gained at least a pound because I ate more than I normally would.  Well, I must have lost a pound too because I danced so much; the music was so good.  It was so good to see everyone.  Whenever I am around, I do plan to attend.  I had so much unabashed fun”

Each year, the Association bestows its honors upon outstanding individuals whose stellar work and performance have served to lift up Jamaica and/or Excelsior. The Association also recognizes other individuals who have given yeoman service to the organization or served with distinction within the wider community in the New York metropolitan area.

Previous honorees include the late Wesley Powell, founder and a former principal of Excelsior; Jamaica folklorist, the Honorable Louise Bennett-Coverley; former Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Hon. Courtney Walsh; actress and broadcaster Leonie Forbes; Leonard “Chicken” Mason, former national soccer player; Muriel “Peanie” McLeod, the venerable vendor; radio personality Cliff Hughes, and Gordon "Butch" Stewart, on behalf of Air Jamaica, to name a few.

Among the invited guests and dignitaries at this year’s function were New York State Assemblyman N. Nick Perry, Mrs. Allison Peart, Senior Vice Principal of Excelsior, and representatives from Excelsior Alumni chapters in Florida,Toronto and Jamaica, as well as and other Jamaica High schools' Alumni Associations. The Jamaican Consulate and Medgar Evers College also sent representatives.

Music for dancing was  provided by alumnus Hugh Nash and his Ecology Force  Sound Machine.