Students, staff, and alumni of Harrison College gathered on Wednesday for a Founders’ Day service at Calvary Moravian Church to celebrate the institution’s 293rd anniversary under the theme ‘Resonance: Echoes Through Time’.
The service highlighted the deep historical ties between the school and the church, where a tablet stands in memory of the school’s founder Thomas Harrison. The original Masonic Building in Cathedral Square once housed the Harrison Free School, while former principal H.A. Dalton also served as a canon at the church.
Delivering the featured address, alumna Lisa Padmore reflected on the school’s enduring legacy and the role each student plays in shaping it.
“A place that shaped my mind, my confidence, and the trajectory of my life. A school with a history stretching back to 1733, a history so rich that each of you becomes part of it from the moment you step through either of its two gates,” Padmore said.
Framing her message around the theme, Padmore explained that “in life, resonance happens when one voice, one decision, one act of courage… creates a ripple that extends far beyond the person who made it.”
She drew on her own experience as part of the first cohort of girls admitted to the school in 1980.
“We were not burdened by history… we simply followed instructions and got on with the business of just being a student,” she said, adding that “sometimes progress does not arrive with bold declarations… sometimes it comes quietly through children who simply show up, learn, adapt, and belong.”
Padmore also highlighted the influence of a former teacher who expanded her appreciation for literature by incorporating music into lessons.
“One teacher, one classroom, one way of treating young people—and that echo continues,” she said, stressing that respect and high expectations can shape lives far beyond the classroom.
Reflecting on personal setbacks, she encouraged students to embrace perseverance, recounting her decision to repeat her final year of school.
“Growth often comes not from brilliance but from persistence, from the willingness to try again when the easier option is to settle,” she told the audience.
Urging students to be intentional about their impact, Padmore challenged them to consider their legacy.
“You are not just passing through Harrison College… you are shaping it. You are leaving echoes. You are resonance in motion.”
Principal Kaylene Kellman-Holder echoed the theme, describing the anniversary as a significant milestone in the school’s long history, while thanking the board of management, PTA, Old Harrisonian Society, and the Calvary Moravian Church for their continued support.
She noted that it was especially fitting for a female alumna to deliver the address, as it has been 45 years since girls were first admitted to the institution.
Highlighting the school’s achievements, the principal pointed to recent successes in sports, including the girls placing second in BSSAC and the Under-19 girls’ basketball team securing their first-ever title earlier this year.
“These accomplishments have led us to dub this academic year ‘The Year of the Lioness on the Rise,’” Kellman-Holder said.
The principal also reflected on the school’s origins as a free institution for “poor and indigent boys” in St Michael, and emphasised the continued importance of its motto, In Deo Fides.
Quoting a former principal, she reminded students that being Harrisonian means “seeking excellence in all things,” while urging the school community to continue work that will “echo through time.”
The service also featured a musical selection from the Harrison College choir, while prayers were offered for children, the nation, and the school community.
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