Alpha Boys School is a residential vocational school for at risk boys and administered by the Religious Sisters of Mercy since 1890. Located in Kingston, Alpha’s music program has launched the careers of Grammy nominees and pioneers in all genres of Jamaican music, from jazz, to ska, rocksteady and reggae. In the words of The Telegraph (UK), Alpha Boys School “helped release the spirit of one of the most musical islands in the world”.
Today, the family court system determines who goes to Alpha which becomes the child’s legal home until their 18th birthday. During their time at Alpha, the boys have the opportunity to develop their capacity in vocations such as music, woodworking, farming and tailoring. The government covers about half Alpha’s annual budget. The balance is made up by donations and self-help initiatives.
Of late, Alpha has increased access to visual arts training through a relationship with the National Gallery of Jamaica and participation in the Resolution Project, which provides photography training to the underprivileged with the support of the Jamaica National Foundation. And a screen printing program is currently being development.
Alpha’s experience with the International Reggae Poster Contest has been both motivational and an example of how the arts–music, woodworking and the visual arts in particular–contribute to the development of young people.
