Gloom as Wolmer’s Boys’ School mourns gifted 10th grader

As a group of churchgoers travelled to Somerset Falls in Portland on Sunday, they laughed and sang along to gospel music and told jokes.

However, hours later, the atmosphere was quite the opposite when the group was travelling back to Kingston. Laughter was replaced with a dark and gloomy quietness as they mourned 16- year-old Wolmer's Boys' School student David Minott who reportedly drowned. According to police reports, shortly after 4 p.m., David, who had just completed a boat ride, exited the vessel and reportedly sat on a rock. He went missing and after a search, he was discovered at the bottom of a stream. He was rushed to the Port Antonio Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Sitting in the library department at the school, a teacher who is also a member of the church group, was still visibly shaken.

"I wasn't where David was throughout the entire day but while I was with him, he was cheerful and was taking pictures and enjoying himself with his peers. He was in a good mood. It is just mysterious and shocking to know that after being there with him, a few minutes ago and then see what happens is heartbreaking and strange," she said. The atmosphere was just as gloomy outside the school's library. A group of Minott's friends wept openly and were being consoled by a few educators. Other teachers were also teary-eyed. The deceased teenager was described by all who knew him as a God-fearing and excellent student. Group supervisor for the 10th grade block Nyron Beeput said David was destined for greatness and left a positive impact on anyone who crossed his path.

"The last conversation that I had with him was on Wednesday and he was advocating for one of his peers about a detention, and we had about three conversations where he tried to explain why he didn't think it was fair for his peer. He was a man of God and I remember my first encounter with him was him walking into one of my classes and he greeted the students and told them that Jesus loves them and they should continue praying and he just left. He was like that. He was very outspoken and was an advocate. He was a leader," Beeput said. "He was friends with everybody and one that the students could rely on to keep them on the right path."

Similar sentiments were echoed by the school's principal Dwight Pennycooke, who revealed that although David's entry into the institution was far from smooth due to financial reasons, the school rallied around him and he became a success story.

"He was only at fourth form but he had distinguished himself in so many ways. A few weeks ago we had our honour roll and he received the highest level of honour. He had worked tirelessly for this and would have set it as one of his goals to achieve in his fourth form year and he was successful. He was involved in just about everything. If the pan knock, David Minott would be somewhere in the midst responding. He was a very principled young man," Pennycooke said.

See related story on page 12