2014 Review Fall

Classmates
Alumnus Lester Blackett Relives the Glory Days &
Plans a Bright Future for Caribbean Children
One of the highlights of working for
Saint James School is getting to know our
alumni. Throughout the year, graduates
of all ages visit Saint James. Many younger
alums reconnect with old friends and
faculty at the annual performance of Saint
George and the Dragon. Others take part in
Alumni Weekend festivities. We are also
honored to receive alumni who visit during
the year, not for a special occasion, but
simply to update us on their lives and to
reminisce about their time at Saint James.
Lester Blackett (’72) is just such an alum.
Mr. Blackett visited on Friday, September
19th. He shared stories that entertained
everyone who had the pleasure of meeting
with him.
Mr. Blackett was born and raised on a
small island in the Caribbean Sea. Nevis,
his home, and the island of Saint Kitts,
form the Federation of Saint Kitts and
Nevis. The island is renowned for its
beauty and as the birthplace and early
childhood home of Alexander Hamilton.
The story of Blackett’s affiliation with
Saint James begins on the island. As
a teenager, he became acquainted with
William (Dave) Illig (‘73), the son of
William B. Illig (’51), when the Saint James
student and his family visited Nevis for
vacation in the late 1970’s. The Illig family
got to know the young islander and were
so impressed that they made provisions for
him to attend Saint James School for his
senior year of high school.
To say that Blackett made the most
of his year at Saint James would be an
understatement. He sang in the choir,
participated in community service work
in Hagerstown and played guitar. He not
only impressed faculty members with his
acute intellect and academic prowess, he
astonished coaches on the soccer field with
moves many had never seen.
“I could hit the ball with the back of
my heal,” he laughed, “sending it over
my head, over my opponent’s head, and
then move around them to sieze control
again. No one at Saint
James had ever seen
anything like it!”
Blackett’s resume
is an impressive one.
Following graduation
from Saint James,
he attended Brown
University from 1972-
75. He then returned
to Nevis Island to
teach high school
science before earning
his degree in Civil
Engineering.
The young man
then embarked on what was to become
a long and distinguished career as a
public servant, putting his engineering
skills to work for the Nevis Public Works
Department. He is now Director of the
Nevis Disaster Management Department.
In this capacity, his mission is to protect
island residents from natural disasters such
as earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes.
To this end, he has developed a variety of
educational trainings, safety protocols,
notification systems, an APP, videos, and
numerous web-based and social media
resources for island residents for which he
has received international recognition.
“During my tenure, we have developed
a comprehensive disaster relief plan for
12,000 people within 36 square miles.
And, we have expanded our emergency
operations center and engaged the
police force to serve as a conduit for
the distribution of critical emergency
information,” shared Blackett.
Although Nevis is passionate about
public safety, he is equally fervent about
the importance of an excellent education.
He attributes his professional success to his
Saint James education.
“I remember playing soccer in the
tri-state competition for our conference,
and being voted Most Outstanding Player
in the league,” he recalled. “That is a
Mr. Blackett relives his days as a soccer star.
fond memory. But, when I I think about
the sum total of my experiences at Saint
James, it’s clear that the School informed
my direction in life,” he continued. “The
opportunities I was given enabled me to
pursue my dreams.”
Blackett is eager to remain connnected
to the School and to give back. The
impassioned alumnus holds a vision in
which children from Nevis Island would
have the opportunity to attend Saint James
School. “I received a scholarship because
someone gave me a chance,” he said. “Now,
I want to help other sudents find similar
opportunities to attend school in the U.S.
This is a very big deal.”
Review | Fall 2014 | 39