Edition #3 29 March 2017

What is e magisZINE?It is a digital expression coming from the dynamic spaces of the St. John’s College art, history and language departments. In September 2015 teachers from the departments agreed to join forces and collaborate on a student oriented publishing platform. It was only natural, and cost effective to come up with an e magazine that would help to promote the art and ideas of the students and teachers.

This is our 3rd edition. We welcome your feedback and ask that you kindly share our e magazine with your friends and family.

The word MAGIS in our name is widely used by the Jesuits and means doing more for Christ, which is doing MORE for others!

eMAGISzineis published by the history department of St. John’s

College, Belize City, Belize

Edition #3 - www.belizehistorysjc.com29 March 2017

Editorial and design TEAM:Yasser Musa

Kirkland Smith Melissa EspatCarlos Quiroz

Rudy ThompsonVianney Novelo

History Club members visit Pen Cayetano Studio Gallery, Dangriga, February 2017

CONTENTS1. CSSAC Volleyball Champions2. Independence Day3. Congratulations Rhiki Alegria4. History Club Offers condolences to people of Cuba5. SJC Celebrates 130 years of service to Belize6. Cristina Coc visits SJC History Club7. Students advocate against gender based violence8. Said Musa visits SJC History Club9. Football star pays tribute to his teacher10. Michele Perdomo Gallery opens11. SJC table tennis players take to the Regional Stage12. Clocks by Kennedy Medina (poem)13. Fear by Nicholas Fonseca (poem)14. Fr. John Maher, SJ passes15. Mexican Muralist visits Art Centre16. Sherry Gibbs visits SJC History Club17. SJC Basketball Teams 1950s18. 5th Annual SJC Table Tennis Tournament19. Godfrey Smith visits SJC History Club20. Fr. John Stochl, SJ passes21. Mexican Revolution inside the classroom22. Life by Corbin Wallen (poem)23. Animation by Maxwell Ermeav24. Geometric Abstration by Darren Myvett25. Geometric Abstration by Jahred Phillips26. Geometric Abstration by Lyon Green27. Geometric Abstration by Bjarne Gabourel28. We Are Like Trees29. Black History Month30. Four Years A Student31. 2017 Marathon - Big Lew Dominates Again32. West African Mask exhibit33. The Art of Wilmer Cardoza34. The Grandmaster honored by SJC History Club35. SJC Track and Field Champions!

Congratulations to our SJC CSSAC Volleyball Champions! You make us all proud.

eMAGIS3 page 1Congratulations to our SJC CSSAC Track and Field Champions! You make us all proud.

Independence Day Parade 21 Steptember 2016

Board Chair Mr Michael Coye, College President Mirtha Peralta, Jesuit Superior Fr. Jose Antonio Vega, SJ and Headmaster Yolanda Gongora lead the parade

Class 1A in front of parade. Tyler Ritchie holding the flag while Ian Ferrera holds the banner eMAGIS3 page 2

The Most Outstanding Candidate for the CSEC examinations in Belize is

RHIKI ALEGRIA

CONGRATULATIONS!eMAGIS3 page 3

20 January 2017Tonight the SJC History Club made two special presentations at the 58th Anniversary celebration of the Cuban Revolution hosted by the Embassy of Cuba in Belize at the House of Culture, Belize City.Jaylen Young (4A) presented a framed letter to Her Excellency Lissette Perez-Perez, Cuban Ambassador to Belize. The letter written by Young and signed by members of the History Club expressed condolences to the people of Cuba on the passing of their great leader Fidel Castro. It also outlined the shared history of the struggle against colonialism and the brotherhood that Belize and Cuba shares today.Also Wilmer Cardoza (4B) presented to the Ambassador a special drawing he did of a young Fidel Castro at the height of the revolution.Some ten history club members were in attendance representing SJC along with our headmaster Yolanda Gongora, assistant headmaster for student services Sol Angel Yam and history teacher Yasser Musa.

15 December 2016 The Latin American and Central American History Class visits the Cuban Embassy to offer condolences on the passing of the Commandante Fidel Castro

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Tuesday 17 January 2017 marks the 130th Anniversary of the founding of St. John’s College.This image was taken after a joint mass of our high school and junior college faculty and staff.

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scan from The Belize BillboardApril 20th, 1946

scan from The SJC Mangrove a bi-monthly publicationAugust 1928

9 November 2016Surrounded by the young men of the SJC History Club Cristina Coc beings her encounter in a soft, but firm and commanding voice. And for almost thirty-five minutes you could hear a pin drop inside the Art Centre as she chronicled the history of the Maya land rights struggle in southern Belize.

One big idea that the youth gravitated toward was reciprocity, the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit. Cristina effortlessly outlined the fight to protect and secure LAND as a basic human right, a legacy of colonialism issue, where the conquering mind cannot rationalize what it means to think of land communally.

After her presentation our students asked many insightful questions about why after going all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and winning, that still in 2016 the struggle for land rights rages on. Cristina offered the long road explanation illustrating that her own coming of consciousness with this big issue is a result of listening to her elders, and being provoked and inspired by the late Maya leader Julian Cho.

That this fight for land and human rights is long, difficult, frustrating and necessary.

An Encounter with Cristina Coc at SJC

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SJC High School students advocates against gender based violence21 November 2016Jaylen Young (L) and Victor Rodriguez (R) represented SJC at a debate answering the question as to how Belize responds to the violence. They took their stand: calling for all men to join the fight to end violence against women and children!

They made it very clear that the role of men must be stronger to change the culture in Belize!

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14 December 2016This afternoon at the SJC History Club guest speaker former Prime Minister of Belize Said Musa spoke to our students on the topic of Belize-Cuba relations. For over thirty minutes he held the students captivated giving his personal encounter with the man Fidel Castro and the impact that the Cuban Revolution has had on the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa. He talked to the students about the great liberators like Simon Bolivar, Nelson Mandela, Jose Marti, Abraham Lincoln and Che. And in usual form after the presentation the students fired back asking all kinds of questions of the former Prime Minister.

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Belize-Cuba relations

Football Star Pays Tribute to His Teacher “Well, I started to play football at an early age. If I can recall, it was at the age of 6. The first position I played was goal keeper. When I made the SJC football team, I was paced in either the Forward or Mid-field Offence. I consider my third and fourth form years to be the school team year. In three games, I have scored 3 goals, placing me 2nd place in Goal Leading. Knowing that I am successful at the sport I love, I felt the need to focus on English. As you know, students must pass English for 4 years in order to graduate. I did not want to take the risk of scoring a C in the subject. Like football, I needed to challenge myself and to see the results of my work. Indeed, I have noticed a major change in my work, especially with my grades. I had failed my first two tests in English with Fs, then I seek help from my English teacher- Mrs. Joy Williams. Since then, I have not received any grade less than 85. In appreciation, I want to give all my gratitude to my English teacher for going the extra mile for me by staying back after school to assist me. She has done the impossible for me. It would be wonderful if everyone to acknowledge the hard work Mrs. Joy Williams has done for all her seniors. Thanks Ms. Joy!” eMAGIS3 page 10

by yasser musa

26 November 2017

In late July 2013 I ended my remembrance to Michele Perdomo with the lines:

“Hands stained with charcoal, paint and pastelWrist twisting a Japanese brushInk on the fingertipsGracefulness so sublimeMichele’s smile is foreverIt was your destiny to love and say goodbye.”

Today the SJC family dedicatged the Michele Perdomo Gallery inside the Art Centre that she helped to spearhead in 2001. Her former student and current head of the art department Kirkland Smith has been advocating for this Gallery for almost ten years. I can only imagine how he must feel that a dream will now be realized.

For those involved in education it is easily recognized that any space dedicated to the exposure, promotion and expression of students is a good thing.

Michele Perdomo served SJC for almost 40 years. She is a pioneer and pillar of art education. When she started her art classes in the early 1970s, with less than ten students, it was inside a small attic space in the gymnasium. Today SJC’s art program provides courses to over three hundred students from the high school and junior college.

SJC will soon celebrate 130 years. I thank the new SJC President Mrs. Mirtha Peralta for her confidence in our art program. The greatest challenge for a legacy institution is not to relax on the outstanding track record of excellence, but to acknowledge the duty and responsibility we have going forward to explore new and exciting ways of innovation, and dynamism.

So tomorrow when the doors of the Michele Perdomo Gallery are flung open, it will not just be an opening up of a small gallery space, but another expansion of the idea that when given the chance, students will create extraordinary works of art.

Perhaps the most profound lesson we have from Lady Michele is that the fire inside all of us needs to be constantly harnessed, encouraged and praised.

THE MICHELE PERDOMO ART GALLERY

Gathering for opening of Michele Perdomo gallery and launch of SJC magazine

Cutting the ribbon to open the Michele Perdomo Gallery

Crowd enjoying the display of student work

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Members of the High School Student Council striking a pose!

David Anderson, SJC alumni presents drawing of Michele Perdomo to SJC President Mirtha Peralta

Jesuit Superior Fr. Jose Antonio Vega, SJ blesses the new gallery

Steel Band entertaining the opening night crowdeMAGIS3 page 12

16 November 2016Day 1 of the Central American Table Tennis Championships!

Five of our SJC students representing BELIZE.Kevin Chen, Latrel Solis, Amiri Hoare, Manuel Castellanos, and Terry Su.

Our SJC Young Men Take to the Regional Stage

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Art Is For The Spirit!eMAGIS3 page 14

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St. Louis - Father John L. Maher, SJ, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016, at the Jesuit elder care community in St. Louis, Mo. He was 73 years old, a Jesuit for 55 years and a priest for 42 years. Visitation will be 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis, with the funeral Mass immediately afterward at 7:00 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier College Church. Burial will be Thursday, Jan. 5 at 9:00 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery, departing from College Church at 8:30 a.m.

Born in St. Louis on Aug. 16, 1943, to Leo R. Maher and Dorothy Lewis Maher, he was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Paul Maher.

After graduating from St. Louis University High School in 1961, he entered the Jesuit seminary in Florissant, Mo., on Sept. 1, 1961. He studied philosophy at Saint Louis University, earning the Bachelor of Arts in classics and a Master of Arts in political science. His Master’s thesis focused on the political, economic, social and religious conditions of Latin America.

Fr. John Maher, SJ served in Belize, dies in St. LouisHe spent three years teaching at St. John’s College in Belize City, Belize, and came to love the country and its people. After theology studies at Saint Louis University, (Master of Divinity, 1975), he was ordained to the priesthood, May 11, 1974, at St. Francis Xavier College Church. He pronounced final vows Aug. 15, 1984, at St. Louis University High School in St. Louis.

Fr. Maher returned to Belize after ordination, then spent the greatest part of his ministry there. He taught at St. John’s College from 1976-87, where he helped edit and publish the journal Belizean Studies. He was particularly interested in Belize’s Maya heritage and the journal put him in contact with many of the archaeologists who came to Belize to excavate the Mayan ruins, and he helped them in their research. In his pastoral ministry, for many years he travelled to the village of Burrell Boom to offer Mass for the people of that area and helped them develop a vibrant Catholic Center.

He served as assistant director of the Belize Institute for Social Research and Action (BISRA) (1976-81). Recognizing a need for better communications for the Catholic Church, he was the founding editor of the diocese’s newspaper, The Christian Herald, serving from 1981 until failing health brought him to St. Louis; his name still appears on the masthead as editor. In 1984 he became director of the diocesan television apostolate and joined with several Belizean Catholic business leaders to produce the first Catholic TV programs in the country. In 2008 he became director of the communications apostolate for the diocese.

One of his joys was to work on a Belizean Catholic Calendar that combined church feasts and Belizean events. He continued to work on it and last month finished the 2017 issue from his sick bed.

He came to St. Louis for a sabbatical in 2015; while there, multiple health issues began to surface. Most recently, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, which spread very rapidly.

We remember with gratitude all that God has done through Fr. Maher’s life of service to God and God's people.

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Mexican Muralist visits Art CentreFebruary 26 2017Last week well known Mexican artist Enrique Minjares visited our Art Centre and gave presentations to our 3rd and 4th form students. Some of the students were selected to work with Minjares to create a public mural on the fence of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Belize City.

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November 3, 2016

Yesterday the History Club members got a strong jolt of bio archaeological energy.What?What is bio archaeology?Well for over an hour bio archaeologist Sherry Gibbs held court inside the art centre engaging over seventy students in a discussion as esoteric as bone density, ancient diets, migrations, folic acid intake and palaeo-osteology. It was an incredible encounter and a demonstration of the SJC students’ capacity for analytical and critical thinking. The History Club thanks Ms. Sherry Gibbs for sharing her ideas with us.

Bio-Archaeologist Sherry Gibbs visits History Club

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SJC Basketball Teams1950s

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Saturday 4th February 2017

The 5th Annual St. John’s College (SJC) Table Tennis tournament kicked off in high gear with some thirty-two play-ers participating in two categories the entry and advanced levels. In the entry level section of the tournament the air was filled with fun, excitement and brotherhood. Players were placed in groups of five to battle things out on a table. Af-ter the dust settled on each table the best two advanced to a knockout round. And as the sun was setting four players emerged in the semi finals where Alain Gonzalez defeated Jonah Chebat and Sergio Glori defeated Edward Matus. In the finals it was Alain with his strong defense and under spin serve that allowed him to edge past Sergio in a 3-1 final score.In the advanced level - Terry Su, Amiri Hoare, Kevin Chen and Luis Bardales emerged. Terry had to fight off Luis to chal-lenge Kevin for a shot at the title. However, Kevin proved too much and edged out the first former 3-2 in sets to move up for a chance of becoming SJC’s best player for 2017. In the finals both Amiri Hoare and Kevin Chen fought hard, but in the end it was the impenetrable iron wall of Ami-ri’s game that wore down Kevin’s attack. Amiri Hoare was vic-torious and declared the new SJC champ! This tournament comes on the heels of the Central American Table Tennis Championships to be held this week in Guatemala. Three of the players on Team Belize comes from SJC - Amiri Hoare, Kevin Chen and Manuel Castellanos. Special thanks to the Belize Table Tennis Association (BTTA) for their collaboration with our school in the annual event. This partnership is what moves the sport forward.

The Energy of High School Table Tennis

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The Energy of High School Table Tennis

Yesterday the SJC History Club welcomed writer Godfrey Smith to a fascinating encounter. Mr. Smith spent about 20 minutes vividly describing the process of his writing two important biographical books on George Price and Michael Manley. After his presentation the students asked a barrage of intriguing questions.

Students still interested can JOIN THE HISTORY CLUB. We meet every Wednesday at the Art Centre at 3:10 - 4:00 pm.

On Being

a Writer

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St. Louis – Father John J. Stochl, SJ, died Sunday, November 6, 2016 in St. Louis. Remembered for his lifelong service in the small Central American country of Belize, he was 92 years old, a Jesuit for 75 years and a priest for 62 years.

Fr. Stochl spent his entire apostolic life in Belize, the Central American country he fell in love with during his regency. He was likely one of the last Jesuits to travel to Belize on a “Banana Boat” from New Orleans, and his impact on the country and its people is immeasurable. His first assignment was to teach at St. John’s College, but he developed a special interest in Belize’s Garifuna (Carib) ethnic group and began to put together a dictionary of their language, echoing a great Jesuit tradition. He provided a basis that was later expanded upon by others.

Always available for whatever was needed, he became headmaster of St. John’s High School; this expanded his contacts with some who would become and still are leaders in Belize. Fr. Stochl was the first American Jesuit to become a Belizean citizen. When he became Mission Superior (1977-83), he traveled the country extensively and was active with other Jesuit superiors of the English-speaking Caribbean in coordinating the Jesuit apostolic work in Jamaica, Guyana and Belize. He began the efforts to bring Jesuit novices from several provinces to Belize for their experiential formation.

For many Belizeans, Fr. Stochl was the priest who led them in prayer at the beginning of each day; for more than 25 years, he had a morning devotional program on Radio Belize.

At the age of 80, he undertook a new pastoral ministry at the Belize Prison and helped in the reformation of the country’s whole prison system, utilizing the large network of his former students in both political parties to do so.

Fr. Stochl taught many of the privileged members of Belizean society, but also the poorest of the poor. As much as he loved teaching English, his greatest joy was serving as pastor at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Belize City and being chaplain in the Belize Prison. All his educational skills, his pastoral skills, and his human ability to connect with the other were put to full use. It was said that if a riot ever broke out in the Belize Prison, the one person who could walk through unharmed was “Padre Jack.”

Fr. John Stochl, SJ Served Most of His Apostolic Ministry in Belize

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Two years ago SJC adopted the teaching of Latin American and Central American History at the 3rd form level.

The images that follow this page show students of Mr. Carlos Quiroz’s history class dressed as revolutionary characters from the Mexican Revolution.

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Miguel Guerra as Zapata

Dalton Perez as a Villista Rebel

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Aidan Villanuevaas Zapata

Ian Blakeas Pancho Villa

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Andre Cervantesas Zapata

Jonathan Murriloas Zapata

Mohit Vanjanias Pancho Villa

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Mohit Vanjanias Pancho Villa

Rowell Riveroas Villista Rebel

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Jahsolm Sankeyas Villista

Enan Silvaas Villista Rebel

Rubin Reyesas a Zapatista Rebel

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Enan Silvaas Villista Rebel

Rubin Reyesas a Zapatista Rebel

Kahil Espatas a Villista Rebel

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SPORTis an integral part ofthe JESUIT mission

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Geometric Abstraction

Darren MyvettClass 2A SJC

Acrylic on Paper, 2017

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Geometric Abstraction

Jahred PhillipsClass 2B SJC

Acrylic on Paper, 2017

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Geometric Abstraction

Lyon GreenClass 2B SJC

Acrylic on Paper, 2017

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Geometric Abstraction

Bjarne GabourelClass 2B SJC

Acrylic on Paper, 2017

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Yesterday our SJC History Club journeyed to southern Belize for two site visits. We first stopped at the archaeological site of Serpon, once an industrial era sugar mill established in 1865, located one mile off the Southern Highway on the Sitee River road. Our students scanned the space with their hands, their eyes, their iPads, their phones, go pros and their minds.The second stop was the Pen Cayetano Studio Gallery in Dangriga owned and operated by Belize’s legendary artist and musician Pen Cayetano and his wife Ingrid. Pen gave our club members an engaging tour of his gallery, featuring historic paintings, and objects. His voice was bold, forceful and compassionate. At one point he hugged Juan Reina, a visually impaired student, and asked him to “feel my vibes, we experience the world through our voice.” Pen’s magnetism captivated the youths. He gathered them under large noni and mango trees, inviting them to sit on a long dory, and sparking a drumming and dancing session. In the forest of Serpon we came together for a photograph under a massive tree. The canopy held us together, a festival of lights darting though, illuminating our spirits. And in the sandy yard of the Garifuna culture guru we danced, and drummed and bore witness to a human tree - his energy overpowering us - his charisma washing us in a moment of pure joy.

We are Like Treesby yasser musa

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SJC History Club members gather to listen to Pen Cayetano

Daniel Williams (front) surveys the old sugar mill

Juan Reina inspecting the cast iron remains of Serpon

Miguel Gonzalez, and Enan Silva dance the Punta

Jason Cutkelvin shows the club how to dance

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Black History MonthPickets shouting, racial contention with the elecuted words of brave men and voices of learned poets, filled the Fordyce Chapel to create a new moment in Black History at SJC.

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CASTE WAR OF THE YUCATANan educational project

organized and curated by Yasser Musa, Carlos Quiroz and Vianney Novelo

5 May 2017Michele Perdomo Gallery, St. John’s College, Belize

Four Years A Student

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by yasser musa

As I make my turn toward 25 years in the teaching life, I take a slight pause to think about the four year high school cycle. Our students enter high school around age 13 and leave at 17. For a young man this is an incredible process of change in his life.

On a social level he is told to own responsibility, to be mature, to grow up, to work hard, to play less, and to shed his childish ways. On a biological level he will experience rapid growth on a physical and a hormonal level, a situation unfortunately he is left to figure out on his own.

Intellectually his mind will develop the ability to think abstractly. If provided with the right educational processes he will become concerned with philosophy, politics, and social issues. His capacity to reflect and think and act on a deeper spiritual level will also open and perhaps expand.

Four Years A StudentChristan Quinto Myron Pollard

Gabriel Cho Warren Garcia

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Our school mantra Men For Others speaks to a serious aspirational goal for the young man in our care. His relationships with others becomes a huge part of life at this moment.

How do we help him with the natural urge to be independent from his parents or guardians? How do we help him to feel accepted? At SJC we talk about the brotherhood that develops inside and outside the classroom walls. There is generational evidence in our society that demonstrate that the friendships formed inside this swamp will last a lifetime.

Four years ago I joked with my then homeroom 1D, “soon, before you know it, you guys will be walking inside that gym wearing a blue dress.” I took their first form ID photos in 2013 and recently I took the 4th form ID photos and I spent a few moments reflecting on the four year cycle of their lives comparing the then and now images.

Our work as teachers is strange because our clients are not really the students in front of us, but the people they will become.

Sahir Guerra Jaylen Young

Melvin Flores Markaveli Butler

How do we help him to feel accepted?

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Jaylen Young

Markaveli Butler

How do we help him to feel accepted?

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go FAST, go FARjoin the SJC Track Team

BIG LEW DOMINATES AGAIN

2017 SJC MARATHON

1st Place Llewellyn Gentle, 2nd Place Francis Hauze, and 3rd Place Barrington Pitts

1st PlaceKaden Bradley, 2nd Place Adrian Mar-shalleck, and 3rd Place Jaheim Wade

On a cool Wednesday morning the SJC family gathered - students, parents, family members, teachers and adminis-trators gathered for the annual SJC marathon. It was a wonderful moment of togetherness. The favorite for the race was Llewellyn Gentle of class 4C, and he did not dissapoint. He shattered his previous record by almost 1 minute coming in 1st for the 3rd year in a row, yes, Big Lew as he is affectionately known has won the SJC marathon since he was in second form. See full marathon results on next page.

15 March 2017

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8 February 2017

SJC students open WEST AFRICAN MASK exhibitThis afternoon on the campus of SJC a small crowd of about seventy five mostly first form students assembled in front of the Michele Perdomo Gallery anticipating the the opening of the West African Mask exhibit. After brief remarks the West African ribbon was cut by the student leader of the History Club Alec Betancourt, his deputy Jason Cutkelvin and member Erik Leslie. And a flood of students entered the space with much energy and excitement to witness some incredible works of art.

All the masks were created by the first form students as part of the African and Maya history program. Special thanks to 1st form history teachers Carlos Quiroz, and Vianney Novelo for their hard work in motivating our students to explore their creative energies via this important project.

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Top 10 West African Masks

Keenan Hyde - 1C Keahn Vasquez - 1C

Alfred Lynch - 1A

Maxwell Ermeav - 1C

Christopher Zetina - 1B

Edwin Caliz - 1B

Junway Lin - 1E

Oscar Castillo -1D

Corbin Wallen - 1B

Alex Vernon -1F

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Grandmaster honored by History Club

The Art of Wilmer CardozaThe SJC Art Centre is proud to feature some of the drawings of an outstanding art student Wilmer Cardoza. He is a talented and humble young artist who is committed to his work.

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The Art of Wilmer Cardoza

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Almost fifty students gathered inside the Art Centre yesterday afternoon for a special History Club presentation. The program began at 3:15 sharp with MC Erei Palacio (2B) introducing Erik Leslie (1A) who recited the poem Lies, followed by masterful performances from Jason Cutkelvin (1A), Terrel Davis (1C), Keenan Hyde (1C), and Dejeor Joseph (1D). These students captivated the audience with solid voice projection and dramatic confidence. Thanks to our performing arts teacher Rudolph Thompson, first formers demonstrate impressive oratorial foundation.Special guest poet Jahseed X Avila brought down the house with an uplifting and inspirational original poem, an appropriate prelude for the man of the hour Leroy “The Grandmaster” Young.And when it was his turn, the Grandmaster had the students in the call and response mode as he performed his classics Time and Pressure. He ended his encounter with a recent poem Here Comes Donald Trump which had the students in a roar.

The GrandmasterPoet Honored at SJC History Club

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Student leader of the History Club Alec Betancourt presents award to the Grandmaster

22 March 2017

The Grandmaster with performing arts teacher Rudy Thompson

Young poet Erik Leslie performing

Poet Honored at SJC History Club

At the close of the ceremony the Grandmaster received the History Club’s Social Justice in the Community Award from head of the SJC History Club Alec Betancourt.It read:

Social Justice in the Community Award22 March 2017

We at the SJC History club acknowledge and pay tribute to The Grandmaster for his enormous and impacting contributions to Belize’s literary and creative life for over three decades. Through his consistent composing, writing and performing the Grandmaster has single handily established a strong and popular foundation for our spoken word and dub poetry traditions.

He has four published books of poetry Made In Pinks Alley, Generation X, Unshakkkaled, and The Grandmaster. He has released three DVD recordings with the Image Factory Art Foundation and collaborated with Stonetree Records on an award winning and ground breaking CD Just Like That. eMAGIS3 page 54

The Grandmaster with SJC History Club members Headmaster Yolanda Gongora looks on as Grandmaster greets students

Student Dereck Brown with the Grandmaster

Vice President of the History Club Jason Cutkelvin with the Grandmaster

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On Saturday 25th march 2017 our SJC Wildcats Track Team delivered a dramatic victory yesterday at the Marion Jones Stadium in Belize City at the 2017 CSSAC (Catholic Secondary Schools Athletic Conference) championships.

Six teams from across Belize North, South, Central and West competed in eleven events. SJC Wildcats medaled in 10 of the 11 categories. After ten events it came down to the triple jump as SJC and Delille Acad-emy of Dangriga were tied at 42 points overall.

Justin Vaughan (2E) took to the runway after fouling his first two jumps. The victory hung on his final jump, and he shattered the distance of his nearest competitor by over eighteen inches giving SJC the big win.

However, the athlete of the day had to be Malcom Swift who proved to be the fastest man winning the 100m and 200m in convincing fashion. He also came in first in the high jump and helped his team to capture 2nd place in the 4 x 100m.

SJC CSSAC TRACK CHAMPIONS!

Overall: SJC 47 points, Delille Academy 42, and Muffles 26

High Jump: 1st place - Malcolm Swift3rd place - Justin Vaughan

Long Jump:1st place - Justin Vaughan

Tripple Jump:1st place - Justin Vaughan

Shot Putt:2nd place - Corian Gonzalez3rd place - Jahred Phillips

Discuss:3rd place - Jahred Phillips

Javelin:2nd place: Corin Wallen

Medley:2nd Place - Keenan Hyde, Jaylon Martinez, Justin Vaughan, Malcom Swift

100 meters:1st place - Malcolm Swift

200 meters:1st place - Malcolm Swift

400 meters:2nd place - Alain Gonzalez3rd place - Keenan Hyde

800 meters:2nd place - Kolyn McKenzie

4 x 100 meters:Koylen McKenzie, Koren Ca-dle, Jaylon Martinez, Ciaran Batty

Coren Cadle, coming down the stretch in the 4 x 100 meters

Justin Vaughan coming down the runway for his final jump

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Jason Cutkelvin flying in the long jump

Alain Gonzalez turing the curve in the 400 meters

Fastest man Malcolm Swift crossing the finish line in the 100m Corin Wallen fires the javelin into the sky

Malcolm Swift easily captures the high jump

Jahred Phillips getting ready to thow the discuss Kolyn McKenzie turns the bend in the 800 meters

Keenan Hyde getting ready for the 400 meteres eMAGIS3 page 54