Celebrating Lucille Elizabeth Smith,
Advancing Her Passion For Youth
As we celebrate the 70th birthday of our mother, Lucille Elizabeth Smith (Grace), an extraordinary woman and visionary, we invite you to join us in honouring her passion and commitment to youth and education. Lucille has a heartfelt wish to grant an award to a talented young person, to alleviate the financial burden that often prevents them from pursuing their educational goals and achieving their full potential.
The Lucille Elizabeth Smith Youth Advancement Award will be presented to a student that has been offered admission to pursue an Associate Degree in Music Performance at the Alpha School of Music. The Alpha School of Music fills an important music education need for at risk youth in Jamaica and is part of the 144-year social and cultural legacy of the Sisters of Mercy. The award is for a minimum of JMD$250,000 (USD$1,595), which represents the cost of tuition for 1 year.
​Donations may be paid using the special PayPal button above which has been established by the Alpha School of Music to facilitate this process. Should donations surpass our goal of JMD$250,000, the additional donations will help students in need at the discretion of the Alpha School of Music.
Donations may also be made by bank transfer to the school’s bank accounts in Jamaica or the USA. For the banking information or if you require additional information or assistance, please contact Dr. Joshua Chamberlain at the Alpha School of Music who will be very pleased to assist. He can be reached by Whatsapp 876-578-1181 or by email at joshuac@alphainstitute.co. (Please note there is no "m" at the end of Dr. Chamberlain's email address.)
The Alpha School of Music in Kingston, Jamaica is operated by the Sisters of Mercy in Jamaica, a Catholic order of nuns whose core concerns include marginalized youth, access to education and employment training.
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The Sisters of Mercy introduced music training at Alpha in 1892. Past students include jazz innovators like Dizzy Reece and Joe Harriott, ska pioneers the Skatalites and reggae icons Johnny Osbourne and 2x-Grammy nominee Winston Foster, to name just a few.
The impact of Alpha's training has resulted in the school being called called the “birthplace of the reggae sound” (Billboard Magazine) and a “dream factory” (NPR), for “legendary musicians” (Jamaica Gleaner) who “helped release the spirit of one of the most musical islands in the world” (The Telegraph/UK).
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Today, the Alpha School of Music offers an Associate Degree in Music Performance to to train musicians for the commercial music and entertainment industry. It is the only tertiary programme in Jamaica that focuses on ensemble performance.
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Alpha’s place in Jamaica’s music pantheon can be heard on Alpha Boys School Radio, a 24/7 streaming station that plays music only recorded by Alpha graduates.
‘Education has always been my passion because I know how it can change lives. As I celebrate my 70th birthday, my greatest wish is to create opportunities for young people who have the potential to achieve great things but need a helping hand. Your support would mean the world to me and to the young people whose lives will be transformed by your generosity. Thank you for joining me in making a difference.’
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- Lucille Elizabeth Smith
Thank you for joining us in supporting our mother’s vision.
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- Lorraine Smith-van Lin and Michelle Smith (daughters)