By Astha Prendergast

Copyright jis

Christel House Jamaica officially opened its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-focused high school on Tuesday (October 7) in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine.

The newly constructed two-storey facility, dedicated to Co-Founder, Hon. Sally Porteous, welcomed its inaugural cohort of grade-seven students in August.

Since August 2020, Christel House Jamaica has been delivering kindergarten and primary education to underserved students.

The institution removes barriers to education by covering tuition, and providing transportation, meals (breakfast, lunch and snacks), uniforms, books, and supplies, while also offering college and career counselling for up to five years after high-school graduation.

Chief Executive Officer, Taneshia Stoney Dryden, told JIS News that 60 students are currently enrolled in grade seven.

“It is a state-of-the-art facility. We have three science labs, we have computer rooms and we have a robotics room. We have classrooms that can house up to 450 students… we have passed all the requisite State regulations. As it relates to fire, as it relates to safety, you’ll see that the school is equipped with state-of-the-art sprinklers and smoke detectors,” she said.

Mrs. Stoney Dryden noted that students are entering a learning environment reflective of First-World standards.

“Most, if not all of our students, are from the toughest parts of St. Catherine, here in Spanish Town. But we’re giving to them first-class infrastructure, first-class education, because we know that it will lead to greater outcomes,” she shared.

Ms. Porteous, a former Chief Executive Officer, and National Ambassador for Christel House Jamaica, expressed heartfelt astonishment at the surprise dedication of the new facility in her honour.

“I don’t even know how to say how happy I am. What an honour! It’s hard to believe that five years have passed since Christel House Jamaica opened her doors,” she said.

While working on a film industry project, Ms. Porteous was introduced to founder of Christel House International, Christel DeHaan, a meeting that sparked a lasting friendship and a shared vision for educational transformation.

Having witnessed the global impact of Christel House, Ms. Porteous persuaded Ms. DeHaan in 2012 to extend the organisation’s transformative mission to Jamaica – laying the foundation for what would become Christel House Jamaica.

Ms. Porteous oversaw the 2017 groundbreaking, the construction phase, and the recruitment of students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, she played a pivotal role in the institution’s expansion to include a STEM-focused high school.

“The Ministry of Education and the Government put in 50 per cent of the funding to enable Christel House to so quickly build a beautiful high school. My heartfelt thanks also go to former Minister of Education, Hon. Fayval Williams, who not only understood our mission but always made herself available to meet with us,” she shared.

Ms. Porteous also expressed sincere gratitude to Food For the Poor for donating all classroom desks and chairs, and the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) for constructing a multipurpose court.

“I would like to just tell you a few words that Christel DeHaan said to me when she was leaving the airport. It was as if she knew she would never come back. She said, ‘Promise me that you will look after my children, Sally. Don’t let them travel on any old bus. Keep them safe. Do not let anyone hit them or shout at them. They are my babies and I love them. Promise me that you will guard them,” an emotional Ms. Porteous recounted.

Christel DeHaan passed away on June 6, 2020, at her home in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.