Denham Town High might not be named among the elite secondary schools in Jamaica, but the sweet aroma of excellence is wafting from the inner-city institution's kitchen into the rest of Jamaica.

Ask Andrew McLeish, a Denham Town alumnus who has soared on the inspiration of dedicated teachers, and is determined to show that positive, productive citizens come from the ghetto.

"I'm from the inner city, but my mother taught us well, and I can say that it doesn't matter the community you're coming from.

"Always remember to fly like an eagle. When you have an eagle spirit, you will always soar high. When you have an inner-city mind, you'll believe nothing good can come out of you," said McLeish, who is now a chef at the school.

His strides have set the foundation for others such as grade 10 golden boy Keshawn Champagnie, a cake-baking maestro, to build on Denham Town's legacy.

Committed teachers

But it is the committed teachers there who churn out class acts that are perhaps the real stars of the show. Despite a history of violent flare-ups in the community, Novette Rose, head of the Home Economics Department, is one of many teachers who have chosen to hunker down.

"(Sometimes) it comes to mind to leave, but then we ask ourselves, if we're not going to do it, who will?

"Some teachers will come and last only a day, but I choose to stay because I have a job to do and we have good students who are willing to work and excel," Rose explained.

Turn to Pages D3 and D5 for 'Denham Town High cooking up a storm', the full story on the school's culinary success. Email feedback to editorial@gleanerjm.com.