By Vinette K. Pryce

Thirty-four students of Falmouth’s National Training Vocational School interfaced with recent graduates of historically Black universities throughout the United States recently during an unprecedented event billed Jamaica 360 celebration.
Hosted by a number of caring individuals from the USA, the intellectual embrace of students foreign and domestic was enabled by funnyman and actor Eddie Griffin who doled out a hefty US$150,000 to Superclubs’ Grand Lido Braco to treat the worthy grads.
In association with Xavier Artis, CEO & President of Recycling Inspiration, the two enterprising African-Americans assured 100 recent graduates from the USA that their accomplishment was reason to be feted on this Caribbean island.

In planning an elaborate five-day calendar, Griffin and Artis included local students who probably would never be afforded an opportunity to share the vast, wealth of information dispensed throughout the time-frame. Despite resistance from a single staffer to integrate the graduates and students during mealtime, Artis interceded by inviting talents Dana Dane, Ali Vegas, and all of the students to mingle with the shy, Jamaican students who seemed apprehensive to integrate with strangers.“I want each of you students to meet and share ideas with at least two graduates,” Griffin urged. Before long, the Victoria Market dining area brimmed with smiles, conversation and newly established alliances.
Opal Johnson explained the six-month course she is enrolled for hospitality training.
An advanced course after completion will enable her to work in one of the hotels slated for opening on the north coast of the island.
She is optimistic, interacting with the graduates is an indication that she made the best decision to study in the hospitality field.
The graduates were surprised to hear that the continuing course is only available after payment of a J$5,000 tuition which many students are hard-pressed to commit.
There were plenty of hard luck stories.
Transportation costs seems to be the dominant concern, however, all the students seem optimistic about their future.
The graduates – some future lawyers, doctors, journalists, professors – listened keenly to the stories readily explained by their new Caribbean.
It was enlightening to witness such sense of purpose, comraderie and spirited bond established so readily.
Tiffany Newell, a Howard University graduate said she felt privileged to have had the opportunity to interact with people of her age whose culture was so very different from her own.
Newell was selected with 99 others from 1200 applicants whose academic records distinguished her a candidate for Jamaica 360 Fun Festival and an all-expense paid vacation.

“People are always trying to steer people in the right direction, but no one seems to celebrate people who are already doing the right thing. I want to put a Kool Aid smile on your face,” Griffin told the benefactors of his generosity.
“You are the future.
You succeeded against all odds.
You are the impossible dream.
When it is your turn, please, give back to go forward.”

ASSAMBA’S ‘ONCE YOU GO, YOU KNOW’ MANTRA RESONATED JAMAICA
Ilyasah, the daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz offered inspiration to the students and graduates. Public relations guru Terrie Williams worked hard to help prepare the youths for the future. Zien Issa Nakash charmed everyone canoodling to compliments about service at Braco. Boasting the Superclubs legacy of pioneering the all-inclusive hotel concept to Jamaica 31 years ago, she praised HEART for “coming along to train” individuals for jobs in the filed of hotel hospitality. And Ruder Finn’s Lyndon Taylor continuously promoted the carrier his company is aligned.
After handing out 150 colorful gift bags to the deserving students, Taylor reminded each graduate that “Air Jamaica will take you there.”
After a number of presentations the graduates coined their own campaign to concede: “Air Jamaica, take us there.”
However, it was the Minister of Tourism & Entertainment Aloun N’dombet Assamba that sold Jamaica with the kind of platitudes that will guarantee more than the usual 40 percent recidivism.
“People are our main resource,” she said about the island.
She spoke about Griffin’s philanthropic gesture and its timely coincidence with the 200th year of the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
“You are my bona-fide,” she told the funnyman.
Assamba endeared students, graduates and guests to the fact that Jamaica is the place to vacation.
“Once you go, you know,” she said in reference to the current promotional tourism campaign.

NAKASH CONSTRUCTION OFFERS LAND FOR LEARNING
Three hundred students will benefit from a new training center slated for construction this fall. During a ground-breaking ceremony, an announcement was made that Christopher Nakash’ Construction firm will complete the facility that will allow students to learn the intricacies of hotel management on the Braco property.
Reportedly, the learning institution is urgently needed as there is a three-year waiting list for students interested in the curricula.

REGGAE ARTIST JOIN JAMAICA 360 SUN FESTIVAL
The initial idea was to fete outstanding graduates in Jamaica. Hip-hop was priority to the nightly, party sessions.
However, with Jamaica the location to relax, Culver City, Californian Freddy Sayegh proposed reggae. Along with hip-hop, a Jamaica 360 Sun Splash concert billed Bushman, Sean Paul, Marcus I, Fahrenheit, Half Pint, Cezar, and Spragga Benz.
According to the attorney, Benz became receptive to the idea when he was approached on a flight from Los Angeles, California to Jamaica just days before the event.
He said his brother explained the purpose of the Braco concert and Benz was immediately committed to participation.
Benz was nothing short of awesome.
Fahrenheit, Half Pint were also alluring.
Paul never bothered to show up. In any case the local Jamaican audience seemed thrilled with the lineup and unfazed by Paul’s absence.
Sayegh said throughout the years, he had established relationships with various reggae artists and each seemed very enthusiastic about performing for the students.
The Wednesday reggae concert was anticipated by many graduates although some were not familiar with the lineup.
Ayodele Henderson, the nephew of Reggae Sunsplash co-founder Tony Johnson seemed knowledgeable about a majority of the names.
Present with Fat Cat, he said he had attended many of the touring Reggae Sunsplash sessions in California.
Nightly soca and hip-hop sessions lasted until 3 a.m. with Doug E. Fresh, Dana Dane, Ali Vegas, Rhythm Wise, Afrika and others rounding out the billing.
A tribute to attorney Johnny Cochran also marked the occasion.
At press time, r&b singer, Stevie Wonder was due to fly in from the Bahamas where he celebrated his 57th birthday anniversary May 13 with a lavish party organized by Oprah Winfrey.      

RECENT US GRAD SAVES LIFE ON AIR J FLIGHT FROM LA
There were at least one million stories to relay from each student arriving at Montego Bay Airport last week. However, 22-year-old Natalie Armstrong’s first time flight on Air Jamaica seems to merit this space.
The California resident selected to join the Jamaica 360 students said she dozed through the long flight but was awakened by flight attendants needing help in medical procedure to aid an ailing passenger.
According to the UC Riverside graduate who is now a med student at Rutgers University “I was awakened out of my sleep due to the coughing of the passenger sitting next to me.”
She said just a glance at the passenger’s discolored tongue and his profuse sweating; “I realized this man needed help.”
Armstrong reportedly shifted to medical mode with immediacy, calmed the man, forced him to cough up whatever food caused him to cough, cooled his body temperature with an ice-pack and grabbed an oxygen mask to assist in the man’s breathing.
Needless to say, the passenger revived and gratefully expressed his appreciation.
Many such stories dominated conversations throughout the week.

STAY STRONG INSPIRATION PROVED TO BE THE ESSENCE OF JAMAICA 360
Recycling Inspiration is a six-year-old, California-based company committed to their name.
Last week, the CEO and president Xavier Artis demonstrated the true meaning of the moniker by collaborating with HEART Trust to provide an avenue for the training and certification of Jamaicans.
Artis was enthusiastic that his annual engagement in Jamaica will benefit some of the island’s neediest citizens.
He said along with his partners, Terrie Williams and her Stay Strong Foundation, Patricia Yarbrough of the Blue World Travel agency, and Griffin, provisions will be made to guarantee quality education at the training facility as well as implementation of other practical improvements he envisions.
He explained how Griffin had been emotionally moved by the challenges Jamaican students faced in order to get to school. He said he had seen a student walking miles in order to go to school. He said in the US, schools are around every corner and many refuse to walk the blocks. He offered “to match dollar for dollar” in providing school buses that will transport students willing to get education.
“We are not here to do an intellectual jack-off session,” Griffin said, “we mean business. We are serious.”   

Catch You On The Inside!