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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>The Champs culture</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY Walda Pitt Observer TEENage writer Kingston College
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>Every year we sit back, patiently waiting and anticipating what is arguably the most anticipated school competition within the island, the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys and Girls Championships (Champs).<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=200 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>A dyed-in-the-face Jamaica College supporter. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>But as exciting as the competition itself is, the preparation and the hype leading up to the final Saturday is nothing short of amazing, when all the champs faithful find their way to the national stadium to show support for their schools. It's like a culture within itself when you travel to Half-Way-Tree or Cross Roads, in the afternoon, in the final weeks before Champs and bear witness to the creative ideas that students and even adults come up with to build and maintain the Champs hype.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The lengths that students go to, to stand out in a crowd and represent their school is sometimes amazing, as well as puzzling. It leaves you wondering sometimes if they really leave their house and go to school the way they look. I've seen school ties turned into fashionable belts for a particular schoolgirl, bags that substitute for flags when hooked onto a flag stick, school uniforms, redesigned and 'tricked out' with custom graphics and school colours, that catch your eyes with even the merest of glimpses and even a shoe transformed into an ad by just adding a few hair beads, and that's just the beginning.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The boys' and girls' schools students represent for each other by wearing each others' ties, pins, epaulettes and waving each others' flags proudly, while walking and flaunting their exuberant style. They even buy school merchandise. And speaking of merchandise, the schools and vendors see champs as almost an engine for generating profit.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Every year at Cross Roads, Downtown and Half-Way-Tree is flocked by vendors trying to 'sell off' for champs with a wide range of merchandise that can be seen laid out along the walkway. From school bags, wrist bands, head bands, t-shirts - with the school colours and graphics - hats, watches and even custom shades.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And the Champs craze goes far beyond that. Almost every bus park in the corporate area is tagged with some form of graffiti ranging from flags, and school names, to school mottos and just random art that promotes the owners' school.
Just last week I saw a lady carrying her son to school and at the front of the vehicle was a school tie and a flag tied around the head rest. It's even evident on the internet on popular networking websites like Myspace and Hi5 and even on MSN Messenger.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=360 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>The girls from Holmwood Technical always make a style statement as strong as their performance on the track. (Observer file photos) </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>All have experienced the Champs hype, with custom-made page layouts, glitter graphics, screen names, personal messages and designs. Pre- and -post Champs sessions are almost a given over the past few years. Among the more popular ones are Wolmer's own Inferno and KC's Comp
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY Walda Pitt Observer TEENage writer Kingston College
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>Every year we sit back, patiently waiting and anticipating what is arguably the most anticipated school competition within the island, the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys and Girls Championships (Champs).<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=200 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>A dyed-in-the-face Jamaica College supporter. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>But as exciting as the competition itself is, the preparation and the hype leading up to the final Saturday is nothing short of amazing, when all the champs faithful find their way to the national stadium to show support for their schools. It's like a culture within itself when you travel to Half-Way-Tree or Cross Roads, in the afternoon, in the final weeks before Champs and bear witness to the creative ideas that students and even adults come up with to build and maintain the Champs hype.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The lengths that students go to, to stand out in a crowd and represent their school is sometimes amazing, as well as puzzling. It leaves you wondering sometimes if they really leave their house and go to school the way they look. I've seen school ties turned into fashionable belts for a particular schoolgirl, bags that substitute for flags when hooked onto a flag stick, school uniforms, redesigned and 'tricked out' with custom graphics and school colours, that catch your eyes with even the merest of glimpses and even a shoe transformed into an ad by just adding a few hair beads, and that's just the beginning.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The boys' and girls' schools students represent for each other by wearing each others' ties, pins, epaulettes and waving each others' flags proudly, while walking and flaunting their exuberant style. They even buy school merchandise. And speaking of merchandise, the schools and vendors see champs as almost an engine for generating profit.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Every year at Cross Roads, Downtown and Half-Way-Tree is flocked by vendors trying to 'sell off' for champs with a wide range of merchandise that can be seen laid out along the walkway. From school bags, wrist bands, head bands, t-shirts - with the school colours and graphics - hats, watches and even custom shades.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And the Champs craze goes far beyond that. Almost every bus park in the corporate area is tagged with some form of graffiti ranging from flags, and school names, to school mottos and just random art that promotes the owners' school.Just last week I saw a lady carrying her son to school and at the front of the vehicle was a school tie and a flag tied around the head rest. It's even evident on the internet on popular networking websites like Myspace and Hi5 and even on MSN Messenger.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=360 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>The girls from Holmwood Technical always make a style statement as strong as their performance on the track. (Observer file photos) </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>All have experienced the Champs hype, with custom-made page layouts, glitter graphics, screen names, personal messages and designs. Pre- and -post Champs sessions are almost a given over the past few years. Among the more popular ones are Wolmer's own Inferno and KC's Comp