Michael Thompson awarded by the Alpha Boys’ School.

Michael Thompson recently designed and generously donated a logo for the Alpha Boys’ School which has nurtered several generations of Jamaican musicians. Sister Susan Frazer, RSM, Director of the school, first saw the illustration of the boy playing the trombone that would become Alpha’s logo at the ‘World A Reggae’ exhibition held at the National Gallery of Jamaica in September 2012. “The moment I saw Michael’s work and the image which is now the Alpha logo I instantly knew it would fit perfectly with our history and our vision for the future at Alpha,” remembers Sister Susan. “The logo has really become not just about branding but a catalyst for collective action across the Alpha community”.

On Saturday April 20th at its campus on South Camp Road in Kingston, Alpha Boys School officially unveiled its new logo before the media as well as tshirt designs for public sale and a school shirt for students, all of which, according to Alpha staff, are a source of excitement, pride and collective action throughout the Alpha community. As a gesture of its thanks to Michael Thompson, the designer who created and donated the imagery, Alpha honored the artist with its inaugural ‘Alpha Citizenship Award’ for Thompson’s “selfless, enthusiastic and inspirational accomplishments in the service of at-risk youth” in light of the donation as well as Thompson’s work with the International Reggae Poster Contest and support of the school in the course of his personal artistic endeavors. Professor Carolyn Cooper set the tone for the evening by helping to make Alpha’s case for the use of the arts in personal and institutional development. Alpha also recognized the Bob Marley Foundation and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation for helping to develop the professional capacity and civic consciousness of present and future Alpha boys.