National

R.M. Bailey Senior High Celebrates 2026 Junior Junkanoo Win

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – R.M. Bailey is Pacers’ country, and home to the 2026 Junior Junkanoo champions. They show us just how winners celebrate.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 7, 2026

Denielle Miller

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – This is Pacers’ country, it is also home to the 2026 Junior Junkanoo champions.

Shari Russell, principal, R.M. Bailey Senior High School
“Someone told me that they had to call the Ministry of Works because y’all dig up Bay Street. Let them hear us now.”

That is Principal of R.M. Bailey Senior High School Shari Russell rallying her students at a special assembly on Wednesday morning with Scotiabank.

The event, which was originally planned to be part of the bank’s Junior Jumpstart school tour, also doubled as a victory celebration for the Pacers following their win at the 2026 Junior Junkanoo Parade.

For more than a decade, R.M. Bailey was absent from the parade. They returned to Bay Street in 2025 and came third.

Russell said once the decision was made for them to participate this year, they had one goal in mind — to win.

Shari Russell, principal, R.M. Bailey Senior High School
“For us it was about starting early. That was the plan, so our teachers, our staff members who assisted our students, they started off with their own funds so we could be ahead of the game.”

She said the return on their investment was not only emerging as the Junior Junkanoo champions, but also igniting Pacer pride.

Shari Russell, principal, R.M. Bailey Senior High School
“To see the students, they come from different areas — Montell Heights, Nassau Village, Pinewood, The Grove — and to see that they can all work together in love for a culture, have passion for it, that was important for us. It was a beautiful celebration of togetherness.”