Westmoreland educator celebrated for preserving Jamaica’s culture on Heroes’ Day

A week after Westmoreland educator Dawn Neufville received a Parish Award for her decades of contributions to Jamaican culture, particularly traditional folk dance and the performing arts, family members in the Jamaican diaspora are still celebrating her accomplishment.

Her uncle, Dave Rodney, a trailblazing media marketing consultant and former manager of dancehall gospel icon Lt. Stitchie, whom he helped sign to Atlantic Records in 1988, said the award was a proud and deeply meaningful moment for the family.

“So tremendously proud of my niece Dawn Neufville who received parish award in Westmoreland on Heroes Day for her decades of contribution to culture, particularly dance,” Rodney shared in a social media post.

Dawn’s brother, Robert Neufville, was especially emotional about the parish honor.

“So proud of my sister,” he told Caribbean National Weekly.

“May this achievement be one of many more blessings and recognitions to come. Continue to shine, continue to inspire, and continue to make the Neufville family proud!”

For the longtime teacher at Frome Technical High School, the recognition came as a surprise.

“I am proud to be recognized for my hard work, which I did out of love for our tradition, not thinking of being rewarded but as a duty to school and nation,” she said.

Her uncle, Dave Rodney, said he had met young people working in Jamaica’s resort entertainment industry who credited his niece with inspiring and training them.

“Not infrequently I meet young people who work in resort entertainment who say they were inspired and trained by her at Frome/Savanna-la-Mar,” he posted on social media.

Neufville’s commitment to education runs deep in her family and intersects with Jamaica’s rich musical heritage. Two of her aunts were school principals who loved the creative arts. One aunt, Rose Irving, had Peter Tosh as a student at Savanna-la-Mar Infant School, while her other aunt, Myrtle Irving, taught pioneering Jamaican model, singer, and actress Grace Jones at Crescent All Age.

A graduate of Godfrey Stewart High School and the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI), Neufville developed a love for Jamaica’s cultural traditions at an early age.

“I was always intrigued by our cultural traditions and was an avid admirer of folk forms from childhood,” she recalled.

When she joined the staff at Frome Technical, she initially helped with costumes for the school’s cultural club. Before long, she found herself directing performances and teaching students the movements and meaning behind Jamaica’s traditional dances. It was not always easy. Many students were more interested in popular dance styles, and convincing them to embrace traditional folk forms required patience and persistence.

But her efforts paid off. Her students earned awards at the national level, while others went on to careers in Jamaica’s hospitality industry as entertainers and entertainment coordinators.

One student she remembers fondly is the late Jerome Jowhire, whose passion for traditional dance left a lasting impression.

“Jerome developed an ardent love for dance and traditional folk forms. He was building a repertoire but unfortunately he passed in the midst of his endeavors,” she recalled.

Despite changing musical tastes, Neufville believes Jamaica’s cultural traditions remain strong, especially in Westmoreland, where revival practices, Gerreh, and traditional music continue to play important roles in community life.

She hopes to see more resources invested in cultural education, including improved facilities at Frome Technical, so future generations can appreciate the traditions she has spent decades teaching.

For Neufville, whose journey began with a childhood love for Jamaican folk traditions, the recognition is a reminder that years of quiet dedication can make an extraordinary difference.