SJCM sets bar high for 50th anniversary

The Past Students Association of the St Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua (SJCM) is hoping to raise $50,000 for the school in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

Clare Thomas, head of the Fund-raising Committee, says $1,000 will be raised for each year that the school has been in existence. She further stated that the $50,000 is separate from the money raised by various fund raising events that will be held.

Thomas stated that it is expected that the $50,000 will come from donors, which include: 500 students, each giving $100; corporate companies, contributing between $500-$1,000; and past students.

Some of the fund-raising activities include a Thanksgiving Service on September 15, 2017 at the school; a Community Outreach project in December 2017; T-shirt sale; a Valentine’s dance and a boat cruise next June.

The school, formerly known as the Marriaqua Secondary School, will begin its yearlong celebration with a church service on September 15, 2017.

Yesterday the school’s Past Students Association launched the activities to mark the celebrations at the Computec conference room. The theme for the 50th anniversary is “50 years of love in service in the Marriaqua Valley.”

The Marriaqua Secondary School was opened by the Catholic community in September 1968, at the St John’s Roman Catholic Presbytery, to provide secondary education to the Marriaqua community. The school’s name was changed to the St Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua in 1993. The school is currently the only convent school in the western hemisphere that is a co-ed institution.

The SJCM’s last population count was 467, with 100 of those having recently graduated; but the numbers are expected to increase with the intake of 120 students from the just concluded CPEA.(JWC)