Friday, October 16, 2009

                           . 

                                 Honorees (l-r) Neville Myton, Dr. Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Owen

                                 Blakka Ellis and  Dr.Marcia Livingston in animated conversation.

Like an elegant apostrophe to school pride, a standing-room-only group of alumni assembled in New York last Saturday evening to toast the Excelsior Alumni Association’s 40th   anniversary.

If great food, dancing, excellent company, sartorial chic and humor-filled speeches were any indication, then the Association’s milestone dinner dance and awards gala  was a resounding success.

For the hundreds who comprised the gathering, it was a night for fellowship and nostalgia, as proud and deserving honorees gave poignant acceptance addresses which were littered with humorous anecdotes and accounts of their Excelsior experience. Fellow alumni also enjoyed inspiring narratives describing the diverse methods and motivations that induced the honorees to the great institution.

                             Karen Phillips-Thomson and Lenny Wright lose themselves on the dance floor

These were some of the many highlights of an exceptional evening of celebration. The emotionally engaging celebratory event began with a short, stirring invocation by former school chaplain the affable Rev. Patrick Perrin and climaxed with delightful dancing on a packed dance floor.  

In between, the audience heard many salutary tales from the honorees who re-traced their paths to Excelsior with rousing stories of determination, ambition and overcoming adversities. 

The presentation of awards was preceded by the customary warm welcome from the President, Paulette Mullings Bradnock with repeat host Noelene Johnson ably guiding the function.                                  

                           Honoree Owen Blakka Ellis is congratulated by Sandra Barker while a bevy

                                  of other  beauties await their turn in the background.

 Honorees

Honoree Dr. Marcia Livingston recalled how, after she had passed her Common Entrance Examination and had been placed at another institution, her mother had insisted that she had to go to a “good school” so it was, that she inevitably ended up at XLCR.

Dr. Maureen Samms-Vaughan alluded to the fact she was so determined to attend Excelsior, and was so intrigued by the school’s uniform, that she even altered her address to ensure that she was placed at Excelsior.

Neville Myton noted that although he was introduced to the school based on his athletic prowess, he still had to take an aptitude test to satisfy Mr. Powell that he belonged at XLCR.                                       

He has played before Prime Ministers and Presidents, and everywhere he has been, Owen Blakka Ellis has left laughter in his wake and left people and places a little more joyful. But it was an unusually subdued Blakka who accepted his award Saturday night from classmate Annette Campbell Harper.  It was Annette who took care of the humor as she regaled the audience with tales of Blakka’s early demonstration of the wit for which he would be renowned years later.

Sir Willard  White, the world renown opera singer and 2007 Distinguished Alumnus  awardee, also made a surprise appearance and was officially presented with his plaque. He was in New York, visiting from his home in France, to attend the 2009 season of the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Nostalgia

Throughout the evening, around the jam packed hall, alumni gathered in clusters to wade into pools of nostalgia, recalling their ‘glory days’ while at school. But this was not an evening for historical accuracy and so what if the tales of their school days escapades seemed more fantastic in the re-telling? 

It was a night to summon fickle memories as alumni remembered personal triumphs, real or imagined, while at XLCR. Long ago events were recalled with unpleasant details conveniently forgotten and complimentary moments colorfully embellished.

One former Manning Cup player remembered deftly weaving through half dozen opposing players before firing a thunderous shot from close to the half line to give XLCR victory in an epic football game.

Others however recalled the goal as the result of a goal mouth melee in which he barely got a toe on the ball to ease it across the line!

And so it went all evening as the revelers, connected by joyous recollections and bound by unbreakable bonds of friendship, thoroughly enjoyed the 40th Anniversary Alumni Association celebration.

On this night the Excelsior Alumni Association took a well deserved bow not only for enduring for that long but for having lost none of its vibrancy, commitment and stability- forever embracing the creed, Age Animo.