Home

Jamaican professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, Samardo Samuels has adopted the sports department of his alma mater, Muchett High School, his parents announced yesterday.

"I am pleased to announce that Samardo has decided to adopt the sports department of the school," the professional basketball player's mother, Jacqueline Samuels declared on behalf of her son who is abroad.


The announcement was made during yesterday's devotion at the Trelawny high school, during which time the parents of the basketball player presented the school with sporting equipment, including several basketballs, footballs and volleyballs.

Meanwhile, principal of Muchett High Leighton Johnson who noted that the donation will advance the holistic development of the sporting department, expressed his gratitude for the gift.

               
                    Principal of the Muschett High School Leighton Johnson (left) accepts a
                    presentation from Jacqueline and Roan Samuels, parents of Cleveland
                    Cavaliers basketball player Samardo who has adopted the sports department
                    of his former school.

"It is overwhelming to note that a past student who has excelled in his individual field, has taken time out to donate to the place he has started. Sometimes you find persons forgetting their roots or who are burning their bridges behind them," an elated Johnson explained.

"We need more of this type of collaboration, with not just the past students, but every stakeholder who has anything to do with Muchett High."

Meanwhile, according to Samardo's father Roan Samuels, yesterday's donation of the sporting equipment forms part of the Cleveland Cavaliers centre's annual Back-to-School Fiesta expected to cost $500,000.

The proud father listed other schools slated to be recipients of donations from the Back-to-School Fiesta as: Jacob Well Basic in Salt Marsh, Bellevue Junior High in Perth Town, Johnson Hill Basic, Falmouth All Age and Falmouth Infant, all in Trelawny; and the Green Pond Basic School in St James.

Samardo, a native of Johnson Hill, Trelawny attended the Muchett High School where he excelled in basketball before acquiring a scholarship to Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey, United States.

After leaving Saint Benedict's Samuels attended the University of Louisville. After his sophomore year, he decided to skip his final two years of college eligibility and enter the 2010 NBA draft.

Samuels went undrafted, but played for the Chicago Bulls in the 2010 NBA Summer League. However, on August 17, 2010, he signed a 3-year, $2.3 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.