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Ten Years Later . . .
This June marks 10 years since my family first visited JPSS. Looking back now, it’s amazing how far we have come, and the changes we’ve seen in our recent visits to Uganda in 2023 and 2024. The whole Comerford family went on this adventure – Liz and I along with our two teenage boys – Sam (then 14) and Nate (then 13). After two long flights and 20 hours of travel, we were picked up at the Entebbe airport by Denis, the Berrigan’s friend and long-time driver for every trip to Uganda over the years. After a day of recovery at a lovely hotel on the shores of nearby Lake…
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2025 FOJPS Virtual 5K Results
Thank you so much to everyone who participated in or donated to our fifth annual virtual 5K supporting our beloved teachers at John Paul Secondary School in Uganda! Please watch the Kick-off video below to learn more about our teachers, and to see the photos and fun from the race in Chelekura. It was a wonderful day and the students and teachers were all so happy to be part of a fundraiser helping their school. We had over 200 participants come together across the U.S. (and some in Germany and on the Disney Cruise!) to make our 5K a success. We deeply appreciate the time and dedication of our participants,…
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The Hungerford Scholarship: Changing the Future for Rural Uganda
John Paul Secondary School has long been a beacon of hope and opportunity for students in the Pallisa District. One of the key initiatives that have contributed to this growth and success is the Hungerford Scholarship Program. “Sue and I support many charities but without question, John Paul School is one of our favorites! Besides being a wonderful cause, you get so much value for your dollar! For the equivalent of $250 a year you can give a child a great education. Imagine that! For $250 a year you can help to break the chains of poverty with the promise of a bright future . . . and forever change…
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Welcome Back to all of our Students!!
On February 3, 2025, John Paul Secondary School opened its doors to students, eager to return to their studies and see their friends again after their two-month end-of-year break. Moses Bwayo, the Headmaster, and all the teachers warmly greeted them. When our students return to school after a long break, it’s much like moving back into a college dorm. They must bring all their clothing and personal items in one trunk, plus they bring their mattresses, linens, and mosquito netting. The students are accompanied by their parents or guardians, who take them to school by bus or car and sometimes by boda-boda. You can only imagine the activity on…
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JPSS – UCE District Giants!
We are excited to share some fantastic news! Our S-4 students have again excelled in their UCE exams, showcasing their hard work and dedication. Of the 133 students who took the test, 132 achieved Results 1 which means they qualify to move on to A-level education. This remarkable achievement fills us with pride and calls for a celebration, as it honors our students and elevates our school. JPSS is ranked as the #1 school in the Pallisa school district for the third consecutive year—a remarkable feat we all share. See our students celebrate with a parade through Pallisa in the video above. Even more impressive, JPSS was ranked in Uganda’s…
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Incredible UACE Test Results – Time to Celebrate!
We are absolutely delighted to share the remarkable news about our S-6 students’ outstanding performance in the 2024 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams! Out of an astonishing 141,000 students who answered the call nationally to take these challenging exams, our 40 JPSS students shone brilliantly, demonstrating the high academic excellence we uphold at our school. A heartfelt congratulations goes out to our top achievers! David Gidudu impressively scored an incredible 19 points, and was showcased with other top scorers from around Uganda on the front page of the national Daily Monitor newspaper! Talented Hillary Musika followed closely behind with an impressive 17 points. Both students showcased their brilliance…
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Faith Formation at JPSS
The following spiritual and social services are extended to the school: Daily masses and prayers Spiritual talks Healing and Deliverance Confessions Anointing of the sick and Viatcum Bible reading and sharing, question and answers on Catholic beliefs, sacraments and doctrine Catechetical instructions Christian initiation Training Mass servers and readers Learning church music and playing musical instruments Besides the above spiritual exercises that aid students in their journey to holiness, the learners have been inspired by the school chaplain to look to holy men and women as role models and guides in fulfilling our their purpose in life. The school has always felt the need to have a school PATRON SAINT…
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Our 10th Annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser!
The 10th Annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser, benefitting the students at John Paul Secondary School, was held on October 3rd, 2024, at the chic Silver Spoon Ristorante. Again, this year, a nearly sold-out crowd attended. In addition to our many loyal returning guests, we were extremely happy to welcome 12 new first-time guests as well as guests from 8 different states! Once again, Rito Lisi and his staff at the Silver Spoon Ristorante provided five delicious small plates which were accompanied by five outstanding wines from Spain! This year’s event was our most profitable, raising an amazing $38,700. Back again, by popular demand were a variety of beautiful assorted Ugandan baskets…
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Update on Campus Development
With the end of the year fast approaching we are still on track to successfully complete our very aggressive development plans. Our #1 priority for 2024 was to build an 8-classroom primary school on newly acquired property across the road from the JPSS campus. That has been completed and the 1000 + Adodoi School primary students will begin the 2025 school year in these new facilities. As soon as the primary school year ends, in early December 2024, we will rehab the existing primary school classrooms on our campus and convert them for our JPSS students. Our second priority was to provide additional housing for our ever-increasing student body, now…
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Announcing – the JPSS University Scholarship Program!
In 2024, Friends of John Paul School in conjunction with JPSS Administration including Headteacher Moses Bwayo and the JPSS Board of Governors, implemented the JPSS Graduate University Scholarship Program to offer qualified JPSS graduates scholarships to continue their education at a qualified University or technical school. The scholarship offered will include payment of Tuition and Fees for each semester for accepted candidates. In 2024, Tuition costs at advanced education institutions (Universities, Colleges, and Technical Training) can range from $300 to $2,500 per student per year (two terms). Like the U.S., Ugandan Universities typically have a term starting in August and a term starting in January. Parents/Guardians must agree to pay…
