Ardenne High School

Ardenne High School is a prominent coeducational, first-to-sixth form secondary school located in St. Andrew, Jamaica. The institution is best known for its high academic standards, among the highest in the Caribbean, and for its achievements in the performing arts and several sports, most notably basketball and netball. The school's principal is Nadine Molloy.

Ardenne High School
Address
Ardenne High School
10 Ardenne Road Caribbean Kingston , Surrey , Kingston 10 Jamaica
Coordinates	18.014179°N 76.78507°W / 18.014179; -76.78507
Information
School type	Public school (government funded)
Motto	Motto : Deo Duce Quaere Optima (With God as Guide, Seek the Best)
Religious affiliation(s)	Christianity
Denomination	Church of God
Established	1927
Founder	Reverend George Olson and Nellie Olson
Status	Open
Dean	Reverend M. Samuels
Principal	Nadine Molloy
Staff	Approximately 140
Faculty	104
Grades	7-13
Age range	10-20
Enrollment	2300
Sixth form students	Approx. 320
Medium of language	English
Hours in school day	8.5
Colour(s)	Royal blue and gold
Song	Ye Valiant Youth Arise!
Accreditation	Ministry of Education, Jamaica
Newspaper	The Flame
Yearbook	the torch
Website	.ardennehighschool.edu.jm

Regarded by some as one of the top secondary institution in Jamaica, Ardenne High has consistently performed extremely well in examinations regulated by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). Ardenne produced the top performer in the Sciences, Daniel Thomas, in 2004 and Jamar Hamilton, Jamaica's best overall performer in 2009, both in CXC's CSEC examinations. In 2011 the school's overall pass rate for CSEC was 97%. The school has won Television Jamaica's Schools Challenge Quiz competition six times, in 1973, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2013 and 2015 ahead of Wolmer's Boys School and Munro College with five wins and trailing Kingston College with ten wins.

Between 2000 and 2008, Ardenne's basketball team won a total of fifteen championships. They were one girls championship in 2001, three conference championships (under 14), four national championships (under 14), four league championships (under 16), two national championships (under 16) and one league championship (under 19).

History

In 1907, just after the great earthquake that destroyed much of Kingston, the Rev. George and Nellie Olson came to Jamaica as Church of God missionaries from Anderson, Indiana in the United States, where the Church of God has its headquarters. In 1927, they began the first school at High Holborn Street in Kingston with an enrollment of five students including the Olson's daughter Mary Olson. In 1929 the Ardenne property of 12 acres was purchased through funds received from the Missionary Board of the Church of God in the U.S. and other private donors. The main block of buildings was erected. However, it was not until January 1938 that the school was transferred to its present location.

Nellie Olson, the first principal, held office until 1944 when she was succeeded by her daughter Mary Olson. Mary Olson served as principal through most of the schools formative years until 1969 when E.M. Claire Gayle, who had previously served as vice principal, succeeded her. Gayle was succeeded by the fourth principal, Roy J. Ebanks in 1979. When he retired in 1996, Winston Roberts became the fifth principal after serving as vice principal from 1979. During the interim May 1998 to December 1999, as a result of Roberts' illness and ultimate death, Erma J. Hutton served as acting principal. Esther Tyson assumed responsibility as the sixth principal in January 2000, until September 2011.[1] The Reverend Claude Ellis served as acting principal until Nadine Molloy was appointed the school's seventh principal in September 2012.[2]

School Song

School Song: (written by Vincent Kelly, alumnus)

Ye valiant youth arise, and join
life's glorious fray,
With God as guide, he will strength
provide to conquer day to day.
In hallowed hall or field, we'll
strive but never yield;
We will fight with our might,
undefeated be the conflict mild or heated:
Brave and strong, shunning wrong
we will march along
To the future's brighter ray.

With loyalty and pride, we'll
shield our noble name,
What'er assail it shall ne’er
prevail, we'll conquer just the same:
With banner high, unfurled, a
symbol to the world
Of the zeal that we feel in
pursuing what we’re doing, ever viewing
The bright crest of the best
That will crown our quest,
And fan Ardenne's glorious flame.

Achievements

• First Black Spelling Bee Champion, Jody Anne Maxwell 1998, in the 71st Scripps National Spelling Bee
• First Female Architect in the Caribbean' Verna Panton
• First Miconian to receive a Cornel Scholarship 1961, Hermon Saunders
• First Female President of York College, Dr Marcia Keisz[3]
• First Jamaican to win a basketball scholarship to the United States, Wayne Sappleton, who later played in the NBA and the Italian league
• First Sir Alexander Bustamante Scholar, Karl Isaacs, 1970
• First John J Mills Scholars 1978, Rosemarie Grant
• First Grace Kennedy Scholar, 1980 Maynard Mcintosh
• Ardenne High was named the most sought after school in the corporate area in 2001.
• According to the Dennis Minott Academic Report 2004, Ardenne was one of six schools to have an acceptable pass rate for CSEC mathematics.
• In 2006 Ardenne High was named the third most sought after school in Jamaica.
• According to the 2008-2009 statistical academic review of the University of the West Indies, Ardenne High had the second highest number of Undergraduates.
• In 2007-2010 Ardenne produced Jamaican Scholars, such as Daniel Thomas and Akeem Smith, who were recipients of the BBVA Ruta Quetzal Scholarship. Thomas was a science genius and Smith was able to memorize several languages and recite textbooks.
• Examinations Ardenne High had the second highest number of students placing in the top in the Caribbean for various CSEC subjects.
• For 2013 csec exams Ardenne High had the highest average.
• For 2013, Dea Thomas was the top CAPE performer in the Caribbean.
• Winner of 2015 School challenge quiz competition against St. Jago High School
• JCDC Marcus Garvey Award winner 6 years Straight 2011-2017[4]
• Referenced in "Young Don The Sauce God" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vOyusxDMCo
• Former high school of Grammy-award winning reggae artist Koffee

Winner of 2020 School challenge quiz competition against St. Jago High School Creating history with 7 titles

References

1. "Esther Tyson bows out - Educator closes a long connection with Ardenne High". The Gleaner. The Gleaner. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
2. "Molloy Young Brings Energy To Ardenne". September 2012.
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. "Ardenne Takes Home JCDC's Top Honour for Sixth Straight Year - Jamaica Information Service". Jamaica Information Service. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2018.