![\"Sean](\"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wolmerians-to-the-rescue-2020-feat.jpg\")
American chapters of the Wolmer\u2019s high schools for boys and girls have called on famous past students to boost its COVID-19 Fund-raising Drive to assist students with online learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students at the Kingston institutions have been studying online for the last three months due to government guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Entertainers Sean Paul and Wayne Marshall, double Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, and actor\/playwright David Heron are some of the past students who have, or will, voice and appear in public service announcements promoting the initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The drive is spearheaded by the Wolmer\u2019s overseas alumni associations in Florida, Atlanta, New York, and Toronto, Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phillip Reid, a member of the New York chapter of the Wolmer\u2019s overseas alumni, said the funds raised will help source Internet access for students studying remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce the COVID-19 pandemic was upon us and schools across Jamaica closed to transition to online learning, we became aware that at both the boys\u2019 and girls\u2019 schools, there were many students who were adversely affected. In some cases they lacked the actual devices to access online teaching, and in other instances they had the devices but could not afford to purchase the very expensive data plans that they would need to use their devices. So the overseas alumni associations came together to see how we could assist the local efforts of both schools in Jamaica, and this is the result,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heron, who is based in New York, was approached by Reid to help assemble the celebrity past students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was extremely happy to do this for Wolmer\u2019s once Phillip contacted me. And when we discussed a strategy for getting the word out to as many people as possible, we felt that asking some of our most renowned Wolmerians to do radio commercials and social media videos promoting the cause would be the best way to go. And I\u2019m pleased to say that everyone we approached has stepped up tremendously,\u201d said Heron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He and Fraser Pryce have already recorded radio commercials which have aired in New York and Florida. Heron, Sean Paul, Wayne Marshall, stylist Norma Williams, and hurdler Jaheel Hyde will feature in soon-to-be taped videos for social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Englishman John Wolmer founded the Wolmer\u2019s schools 291 years ago. Located in Kingston, Jamaica\u2019s capital, it is the second oldest school in the English-speaking Caribbean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the country\u2019s elite institutions, Wolmer\u2019s past students also include former Jamaica Prime Minister Edward Seaga, West Indian batsman Alan Rae, and singer Diana King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donations to the Wolmer\u2019s COVID-19 Fund-raising Drive can be made at www.wolmersdonations.org. Further information is available at wolmersdonations.org\/smile, or by calling 1-888 WOLMERS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n