Ardenne honours community leaders in New York

Hundreds of alumni and friends of Ardenne High School came out on Sunday, May 15 to the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown, New York for the Ardenne High School annual awards luncheon.

Among the honourees was the Honourable Roy J. Ebanks, OD, principal of Ardenne from 1979 to 1996. The beloved Ebanks received the Leadership Award 2011. He served the school for some 40 years and for him, it was an absolute delight to once again see students whom he had not seen for many years and to meet their families and friends.

"The Ardenne years were very happy ones," he proudly reflected. "We were a closely knit family, a very caring and productive school community, and I am delighted to be among such distinguished company," he said. In Ardenne circles, Ebanks is revered for, among other attributes, his ability to recall nearly all his former students with the minutest of detail. His passion for sports is also legendary and Ardenne's sole capture of the Manning Cup in 1991 happened under his tenure as principal.

Posthumous Award

The Distinguished Alumna Award 2011 went, posthumously, to Sheila H. Campbell Thompson, R.N., who was a past president of the Ardenne Alumni Association New York chapter. Campbell Thompson died a few weeks ago. Her daughter, Corinne Angela Thompson, accepted the award and the family will set up a foundation to promote awareness and research of Lou Gehrig's disease that took Campbell Thompson's life. The family hopes that the newly opened Winston Roberts/NCB Science Centre at the school can become a springboard for stem cell research in Jamaica, driven by a new generation of young, bright scientists who are now being groomed at the school.

The third honouree was Anthony H. Turner, recipient of the Community Service Award. Turner is a graduate and former athlete of Ardenne and his outstanding performance at the City College of the City University of New York in mathematics and physics earned him an invitation to join the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space research programme in the United States. He now works as a telecoms fibre optics engineer, but he has also built an impressive résumé in the media, public relations and entertainment world. He is the founder and president of Images LLC, a New York-based public relations company. Turner also does weekly radio links to stations in New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, South Florida and Jamaica and is a principal and co-producer of Caribbean Lifestyle Television in New York.

Over the years, the Ardenne Alumni Awards luncheon has earned a reputation for fusing gastronomic treats with a relaxed ambience, interesting company and superb entertainment. This year entertainer, author, storyteller and folklorist Joan Andrea Hutchinson earned a standing ovation with her amazing insights into curious aspects of Jamaica's culture.

Among those attending were Dr Marcia Keizs, Ardenne alumnus US and president of York College; Dr Laura Piers-Hester; Dr Dave Holson, director of emergency medicine, New York; Devon Harris, Olympian, author and former bobsledder; Honourable Sam D. Walker, Supreme Court judge, New York state; Honourable Helen Blackwood, Mt Vernon City Court judge; Alison Ross, vice-president of the Portfolio Marketing Group and Dave Rodney, former head boy and marketing consultant. The event was designed by a team led by Dr Howard Bradnock and Elsa Burke with support from Myrna James Merchant, Carmen Cole Chambers and others.