Spice went back to school dressed in blue from head to toe. The dancehall star wore St Catherine High School’s colours when she returned to collect a Philanthropist Award from her alma mater, a nod to the place where she says her story really started.
The award, which she credited to both the school and Kiwanis, recognises Grace “Spice” Hamilton’s contributions to the performing arts and to communities across Jamaica.
Spice shared the news on Instagram, calling it a “full-circle moment” and reflecting on how far she has come since her student days.
From walking in St Catherine High School as a young girl with big dreams to returning as an honoree, this is truly a full-circle moment. I am deeply humbled and grateful for this recognition,” she wrote.
She got specific about where it all began, too. “No matter how far life takes me, I will never forget where my journey began, right in Pascal Hall, 35 John’s Road, St Catherine High,” she added.
That level of detail tells you something. Spice has spent years on international stages, yet she still name-checks the exact hall and street address of her old school.
For students walking those same corridors now, seeing a past student come back in school colours carries a weight no press release could match.
From the school’s side, the honour frames Spice as more than a chart presence. St Catherine High chose to celebrate her as a philanthropist, putting her community work alongside her music rather than treating the two as separate stories.
That music has carried her a long way. Spice broke through with Romping Shop, her 2009 collaboration with Vybz Kartel, and later scored with So Mi Like It.
Her album 10 earned a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album, and her time on the reality series Love and Hip Hop Atlanta pushed her name well beyond dancehall’s core audience.
The recognition also lands in an interesting space. Dancehall has long had a complicated relationship with Jamaica’s formal institutions, with the genre’s lyrics and stage shows drawing criticism over the years.
A traditional high school holding up one of the genre’s most outspoken women as a model for giving back is a choice worth paying attention to.
Spice was not the only person honoured on the day. She made a point of sharing the spotlight in her post, congratulating the other recipients.
“Thank you to everyone and big up all the other honorees. One love every time,” she said.
For now, the girl who once sat in Pascal Hall with big dreams has collected a very different kind of recognition from the same building. What she does with the platform her old school has just handed her is the part still to be written.
