Holland High to get auditorium

Holland High School in Zion, Trelawny, broke ground last Wednesday for the construction of its multipurpose auditorium, and is appealing to corporate Jamaica and past students to support the initiative.

"The school started in 2004 with just the basics and 400 students, but today we have 1,150 students and the needs to cater to our students have increased," said principal Pauleen Reid, who is retiring at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year. "We have embarked on and completed several projects, which include perimeter fencing and purchasing a school bus, and today we break ground for our most ambitious project, a multipurpose auditorium which will, on completion, allow for indoor games and graduation ceremonies."

According to Ricardo Haughton, building officer attached to the Ministry of Education, the auditorium will be built in phases, and will have a capacity for 1,200 students. It is estimated to cost $70 million.

Father Carl Clarke, chairman of the school board, pledged $14 million, while two donors, Mark and Cherry Campbell, gave $100,000.