WELL MANNERED, HARD-WORKING, PLEASANT, bubbly, encouraging, genuine, energetic, cooperative and generous are some of the words teachers of St James Secondary School used to describe past student Shana Griffith, who was one of the six young women who perished in last Friday night’s fire at the Campus Trendz, Tudor Street, The City.
The atmosphere at the yesterday morning school was one of reverence as staff and students participated in a memorial service for Griffith. Nineteen teachers delivered positive, uplifting words in praise of the 18-year-old who graduated last year.
Carla McConney, who taught Griffith in first form, said she was privileged to “watch her grow into a lovely, bubbly young lady”.
She said there were “very few students with such readiness”, recalling that “her friendly, bubbly nature seemed contagious. As with shooting stars, although they disappear, you never forget the ones that are bright and awesome. Her smiling face will be remembered forever”.
Judy Cox, Griffith’s form teacher in her final year at the school, remarked that “Shana was a polite, lovely, young lady, who will sadly be missed”.
“My fondest memory was when her classmates were practising for graduation. They wanted someone to sing a solo in the chorus of The Climb, and Shana’s friends encouraged her to sing. She accepted hesitantly and sang with such shyness the first time she practised it.
“However, at graduation, she rendered her solo with her own attitude and added her usual flair, posing in her heels as she sang. Shana belted out ‘And I gotta be strong, just keep pushing on . . .’ She will be missed,” said Cox.
Principal Joy Henry reminded the students that “lawlessness does not begin as an adult. The seeds of lawlessness are sown when you are a child.
“Things like greed, which is reflected in gambling and trying to get things that you did not work for, are things that lead to robbery. Simple things like throwing water bombs around the school is how lawlessness begins.
“It doesn’t begin with just an adult throwing a firebomb. We are asking you to listen to us and cooperate with us, as we try to weed out these lawless acts.
“And, remember, you are never too young to give your life to Christ; you don’t know when your life will end . . . Use this incident, sad though it is, to reflect on your life.”
