David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship Foundation Gala Set for Saturday
Rudolph Brown
Scholars from Calabar and Kingston College high schools are presented with laptops during a Wagga Hunt Foundation ceremony at the NHT Sports Club in New Kingston on Sunday.
Two persons have been named for special honours at this year’s staging of the David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship’s Red Carpet Ball set for Saturday, February 18.
The Washington-based scholarship foundation will recognise retired General Vincent R. Stewart for Exemplary Leadership in the Public Sector, and Dr John-Paul Clarke for Exemplary Achievements in Aerospace Engineering, Academia, and Philanthropy.
The gala is held under the patronage of Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Audrey P. Marks, and will be hosted in the atrium of the National Education Association building, downtown Washington, DC.
Chairman of the foundation, Christopher Hunt, said the mission of the foundation is “to continue offering scholarships to deserving students at KC and Calabar in Kingston, Jamaica. To date, we have received over US$125,000 (J$19 million) from our fundraisers, inclusive of 42 scholarships. Also, we are very active with the Jamaican students matriculating at Howard University, Washington, DC, through mentoring and providing a homely atmosphere inclusive of … occasional authentic Jamaican cuisine.”
The David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship is named for the late Kingston College (KC) past student, football coach and co-founder of Meadhaven United Football Club.
It supports deserving students at Kingston College and at Calabar High School, where Hunt was the coach.
The approximately $600,000 award covers tuition, books, lunch and other related school expenses for each student from grade eight to K13.
Scholarship recipients must display commendable academic performance and attitude, be involved in extracurricular activities, and deemed to be in need of financial assistance.
The chairman said that the number of awards has increased in recent years, and the goal is to continue offering scholarships to deserving students of the beneficiary schools.
Unrivalled in his passion for youth and sports, Hunt led Calabar to both the Manning Cup and Oliver Shield titles in 2005 before his untimely passing in October 2007 from a heart attack.
He was a former general secretary of the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association; former general secretary of the Minor League Football Association; former Jamaica national under-17 football coach; KC, Calabar, and Meadowbrook High School Manning Cup coach; and was one of Jamaica’s most notable track and field analysts.
