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Vaz Preparatory School (commonly known as Vaz Prep or Vap Prep) is a private primary (prep) school in Rollington Town / Dunoon Road, Kingston, Jamaica. Founded in 1951 by Hazel Louise Vaz, the school is one of Jamaica’s longest continuously operating preparatory schools and is known for a long tradition of academic and extracurricular achievements, particularly in athletics, music and cultural competitions.

Vaz Preparatory was established in 1951 by Hazel Louise Vaz (often called “Aunt Hazel”) with an initial enrolment of three children. Over the ensuing decades the school expanded from a small local primary to a well-known preparatory institution serving families across Kingston. The school has had very few principals in its history (founder Hazel Vaz, her niece Beverley Ulett, and the present leadership), and its motto is “Honest Labour Bears a Lovely Face.

Vaz Prep is located on Dunoon Road in the Rollington Town area of Kingston. The school emphasizes a balanced curriculum of academics, sport and cultural activities — including a prominent dance troupe, regular participation in inter-prep track & field competitions and the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission programmes. Annual milestone anniversaries and community events are widely covered in local media, reflecting the school’s place in the neighbourhood.

Vaz Prep prepares students for common-entry exams and for placement at Jamaica’s prominent secondary schools. The school runs sporting programmes (track & field, football), performing arts (dance troupe) and academic clubs; Vaz students historically perform strongly in inter-preparatory competitions. Vaz Prep’s alumni network remains active and the Vaz Prep Past Students’ Association supports school activities and reunions.

• Sanya Richards-Ross — Olympic 400 m gold medallist / world champion (represented the USA internationally). Richards-Ross has publicly acknowledged Vaz Preparatory as her childhood school and has returned to the school for visits and presentations.
• Alia Atkinson — Jamaican Olympic swimmer and multi-time World Championship medallist; in interviews and profiles she has described Vaz Prep as her early school and credited it with part of her early development.
• Jaheel Hyde — Jamaican track athlete (hurdles / sprints); listed among Vaz Prep’s outstanding past students in coverage of the school.
• Damion Lowe — Professional footballer (Reggae Boyz defender) — Lowe attended Vaz Preparatory in his early years before progressing through parish and club youth football. The player and school media note his visits back to Vaz as an alumnus.
• Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor — Reggae/dancehall producer and musician; biographical profiles and music-industry features note McGregor’s early years at Vaz Prep and that he began writing and performing as a child while attending the school.

Vaz Preparatory has long been considered an important local institution in East Kingston, noted for producing students who go on to success in sport, music, public life and the professions. The school’s anniversary celebrations and community outreach regularly attract coverage from Jamaica’s national newspapers and broadcast outlets.

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• "Vaz Prep shines bright at 74". December 14, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Category:Education in Kingston, Jamaica