Why?
Our beloved alma mater, Kingston College, is challenged perennially to fully fund its academic and extracurricular activities, as well as periodic infrastructural rehabilitation. In many instances, several vendors and suppliers have had to extend credit to the school on a good faith basis. Payments to these vendors and suppliers are subsequently paid in the new school year using funds from the Ministry of Education and the myriad benefactors, particularly the Chapters of the Kingston College Old Boys’ Association. Clearly this situation is undesirable and unsustainable in the long-term. A mechanism needed to be developed that would guarantee a reliable and steady source of revenue that would plug the financial deficit that KC experiences annually. Enter the Fortis Walkway Legacy Initiative (FWLI) as such a mechanism.

What Is the FWLI?
The Coordinators, comprising primarily Old Boys who entered KC in 1965, have conceptualized a fundraising programme that they believe will be transformational for the school itself, while engendering a feeling of pride for all Old Boys and their families, as well as Teachers, both current and past. They have named this concept “The Fortis Walkway Legacy Initiative.”
Walkways will be created out of brick pavers at practical locations on both campuses of KC and approved by the Principal. Purchasers will have their names and period of attendance/association with the school inscribed on the brick pavers. The initial offering for the inscribed brick pavers will be US$500 each (or JA$ equivalent). It is an affordable fundraising initiative targeting former Kingston College students and Faculty This initiative allows them to take their emotional and umbilical connection with the school and turn it into something tangible where they can see, touch, and share stories with family members about their time at KC. It would be a permanent physical link with Kingston College, akin to a Walk of Fame. There will also be accommodation for sports teams, individual forms, or other special configurations on the brick pavers, but these will be at additional costs.

When?
The plan is to launch the FWLI in Jamaica on Founder’s Day, 16th April 2024. Laying of the pavers will occur twice per year, namely at the end of the school year (July) and again at the end of the first semester of the new school year (December). The thoughts are that the work involved in laying the pavers should not disrupt the normal operations of the school when the needs of students are paramount. The actual days that the pavers are laid will be determined in consultation with the Principal and/or his designate.

Where?
The first phase of laying of the brick pavers will be in the quadrangular area where Bishop Gibson’s bust, and flagpoles are located. This area was deliberately selected to kick-off the FWLI due to its high visibility on the North Street campus. Other areas targeted initially include the area adjacent to the Chapel that is closest to North Street. These two areas will also have associated beautification that will be designed by a landscape architect.
As time goes by, and in consultation with the Principal other areas on the North Street campus will be selected. Areas at the Melbourne Park campus will only be selected after space at the North Street campus has been fully utilized.

Participation
The Fortis Family online newsletter link www.kctimes.org will facilitate the purchasing of brick pavers. Dedicated space in the newsletter, including an order form, has already been implemented. Purchasers will simply follow the instructions therein to make their order and payments, and a receipt authenticating the purchase will be provided. Contact information is also provided should purchasers have any questions or need further information.

Benefits To Kingston College
The FWLI is intended to generate significant revenue annually that will be available to the school for use in areas of critical need and priorities set by the Principal and his administrative team. No longer will there be uncertainties as to how such needs and priorities will be addressed.
The coordinators are confident also that the annual FWLI revenue will be more than adequate to cover the deficits that plague the school each year. In short, the FWLI could be considered as a major support pillar for the short-, mid--, and long-term development planning for KC. This includes helping to fund the following: