The Alpha Institute is pleased to be the recipient of the 2021 RJR/Gleaner Honour Award in the category of Arts and Culture. Announced earlier this week and presented to Alpha Administrator Margaret Little Wilson on Tuesday, June 14. The award recognizes Alpha Institute for its continued role in using the arts to assist at-risk, inner-city youths, and train youth to be productive, engaged citizens, and cultural ambassadors. This special recognition is a reminder that Mercy values are making an impact on the quality of life in Kingston and across Jamaica.

“We are very pleased that Alpha is being recognized in this way,” Alpha’s Bandmaster Gay Magnus told the Gleaner. “What that says to us is that Alpha after 142 years is still alive and still fulfilling its mission. We plan to continue this legacy and continue this tradition by paying attention to the students that we have. Each generation of students comes with different challenges and we have to adapt and change and make sure that we give them what they need to survive as a musician and as a human being.”

The RJR/Gleaner Honour Awards were established in 1979 to recognize outstanding individuals in organizations who have significantly contributed to improving the quality of life in Jamaica. This year, selections are made in 8 categories including arts and culture, sport and education.
