New Market, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica – May 15, 2026: The sun shone brightly through the absent roofs of several classrooms, but not through the newly refurbished music room at Lewisville High School in St. Elizabeth. There students, staff, and donors gathered for a Donors’ Appreciation Ceremony on May 13, 2026.
The occasion marked a milestone in the school’s recovery with a public celebration of the generosity received, following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa last October.
The freshly installed roof, still carrying the smell of fresh paint, covered a facility bearing a plaque that read: “This Music Room Bears The Mark of Generosity from Sean Paul, Whose Contribution Continues to Shape the Future of Music Within Our School”.
Following Hurricane Melissa, Sean Paul acted quickly through his Foundation to provide relief. He and his team visited the school just before Christmas and witnessed the destruction firsthand — classrooms lost, the canteen roof gone, books, materials and equipment destroyed, teachers and students displaced. It was then that he made a further commitment to help rebuild what the storm had taken. The donation, which included keyboards, bongos, an acoustic drum kit with cymbals, recorders, glockenspiels, guitars, a djembe, and conga drums, was made as part of a surprise appearance on NBC’s Today Show, where Acting Principal Rosemarie Thompson-Collins also received a Starlink internet system on behalf of the school.
“There were several schools in our journey, but what struck me about Lewisville High School was their music programme. Their music room, which was one of the biggest I’ve seen at a school, was completely destroyed in the passing of the hurricane,” Sean Paul said at the time of the donation in March.
Sean Paul is currently performing on his Timeless Tour across Europe and was unable to attend the ceremony in-person.
At the ceremony, Principal Thompson-Collins presented the Foundation with a plaque “In recognition of exceptional support of the Lewisville High School family following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. We appreciate you.”
Students then performed for attendees using the very instruments donated by the Foundation.
Music teacher Diandra Brown was visibly excited to showcase the instruments that reignited a programme closely tied to the school’s dance curriculum. She was particularly grateful for the two full keyboards.
“[These instruments] mean I can teach many students at once. In the past, they would have to crowd around one of them; we made it work. But now, we have two… it’s even better,” she said.
The Donors’ Reply was led by Dr. Prim Lewis, principal of deCarteret College in Mandeville, who received special mention for her unwavering support of Lewisville during its recovery. Dr. Lewis commended the staff of deCarteret College, the team at VMBS, and Producer Mickey Bennett, who together stepped up to donate — among other things — toys for every student at Lewisville last Christmas.
Lewisville High School was also supported by nine other educational institutions from across the island: George Headley Primary; Broadleaf Primary; Ebenezer Primary; Cross Keys High School; Wolmer’s Girls’ High School;, Ena Barley School of Excellence; Edu Hub, E-Learning Jamaica; and Lacovia High School. The Rotary Club of Mandeville, the Jamaica Defence Force, and Southern Contracting Company also contributed to the school’s recovery efforts.
About the Sean Paul Foundation The Sean Paul Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Grammy Award-winning international recording artiste Sean Paul, dedicated to uplifting vulnerable youth and communities across Jamaica. The Foundation focuses on empowering the next generation through music education, access to technology, and community welfare initiatives, through strategic partnerships with organisations including Food For The Poor Jamaica, the Flow Foundation, the Sandals Foundation, and the Alpha School of Music.
