Pall-bearers exit the St John's Anglican Church in Black River, St Elizabeth, with the coffin bearing the body of 17-year-old Munro College student Amal Clarke on Saturday afternoon. Clarke died in a motor-vehicle crash on January 4. - Photo by Claudia Gardner
WESTERN BUREAU:
Seventeen-year-old Munro College sixth-former Amal Clarke was on Saturday remembered as a highly motivated youth and a model student with an insatiable quest for knowledge.
Munro College Vice-Principal Sonia Neil and others heaped accolades on the deceased during a thanksgiving service at the St John's Anglican Church in Black River, St Elizabeth.
Clarke died in a road crash shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 4, along the Barbary Hall main road in the parish.
Others survived
At the time, he and a friend were being driven to school by his older brother. They were heading to Munro to board ahead of the Easter school term when the vehicle in which the trio were travelling was hit by a minibus. They were rushed to the Black River Hospital where Clarke was pronounced dead.
"He was a student of fine, gentlemanly conduct, a remarkable student with impeccable decorum. He was a selfless individual who thought of everyone before himself," Neil said.
"He was small in stature, but his stride was that of a six-foot giant. He was trustworthy and did not renege on his word. He was every teacher's dream student."
He died several weeks ahead of what was to have been his trip to the United States to represent Munro and Jamaica at a United Nations Schools' Conference.
Clarke was greatly involved in extra-curricular activities and served in many leadership positions:
✓ President of the Inter-Schools Christian Fellowship.
✓ Student Council representative.
✓ Prefect, dormitory prefect.
✓ Co-director, Munro Gospel Choir.
✓ Substitute French teacher for fourth-form students.
✓ Member of the United Nations, Tourism Action and Debate clubs.
✓ Best junior contributor to the life of the school in 2005-2006.
✓ Best performance in CSEC French, Spanish and principles of business.