Retired Principal Urges Teachers To Be Role Models

Retired principal of Hampden Primary School in St. James, Sylvia Brown, has called on teachers to be role models for their students.

The veteran educator also advises teachers to show love for the children who are entrusted in their care.  “These are your children and you will not achieve much unless you first love them as your own sons and daughters,” Ms. Brown says.

The 77 year-old, who hails from the community of Dumfries, has had an illustrious career as an educator, community worker, and role model.

Driven by her love for children, she entered the teaching profession at an early age, spending three years at Dumfries Basic School.

After qualifying as a trained teacher, she joined the staff of Hampden Primary School, where she spent most of her teaching years. She retired as the institution’s principal in 2000 after 28 years of helping to prepare some of the country’s future professionals and leaders.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Ms. Brown has acted as a mother to hundreds across various communities, providing guidance and counselling to them.

She volunteered her services to the then Charity Youth Club for many years, mobilising support from individual and corporate members of the business community for the group in various programmes and activities.

Ms. Brown led a team of persons to provide meals and food packages for the less fortunate in her community for a number of years, especially during special holiday seasons.

She also has consistently designed and sewed items of clothing for community members at no cost to them and has taught a number of women in church groups and  community clubs to sew and manufacture novelty items.

Hundreds of residents benefited from her literacy classes over many years, even while she carried the weight of her multiple roles in the community as mentor, church secretary, Sunday school director, village lawyer, counsellor, club manager as well as ‘head cook and bottle washer’ for various functions and events throughout Dumfries and adjoining communities.

She has been the recipient of numerous awards from the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, the church, and other groups and organisations across the community and parish.

Though officially retired from the classroom for 13 years, she remains very active, finding time to visit and work with the less fortunate and the youths, encouraging them to make the best of the opportunities they have to grow and mature into leaders and professionals of society.

In recognition for her service, the St. James Parish Council presented Ms. Brown with the Spirit of Independence Award for outstanding service in the field of community development, at the Independence Civic Ceremony in August.

She tells JIS News that she is honoured by the award and thanks the parish council, “for recognising the work that I have done in my community.”

“This award is good and I appreciate it very much. It was truly a joy to have served my fellow men and to be of use in the community, where I am still engaging in some levels of community work,” she adds.

She tells JIS News that she has worked hard for her family as well as members of Dumfries and adjoining areas. “I love people and felt that serving them was my way of expressing that deep love and concern for them, especially the children.  I used to walk for miles to get to and from school and still found time to visit members, who depended on me for assistance of some kind, after school and on weekends,” she says.

Her advice and encouragement to young people and older members of society is: “Don’t give up. Work hard on achieving your goals in life.  Remember always that perseverance brings success”.

CONTACT: GLENIS ROSE

Retired principal of Hampden Primary School in St. James, Sylvia Brown, has called on teachers to be role models for their students.

            The veteran educator also advises teachers to show love for the children who are entrusted in their care.  “These are your children and you will not achieve much unless you first love them as your own sons and daughters,” Ms. Brown says.

            The 77 year-old, who hails from the community of Dumfries, has had an illustrious career as an educator, community worker, and role model.

Driven by her love for children, she entered the teaching profession at an early age, spending three years at Dumfries Basic School.

After qualifying as a trained teacher, she joined the staff of Hampden Primary School, where she spent most of her teaching years. She retired as the institution’s principal in 2000 after 28 years of helping to prepare some of the country’s future professionals and leaders.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Ms. Brown has acted as a mother to hundreds across various communities, providing guidance and counselling to them. 

She volunteered her services to the then Charity Youth Club for many years, mobilising support from individual and corporate members of the business community for the group in various programmes and activities.

Ms. Brown led a team of persons to provide meals and food packages for the less fortunate in her community for a number of years, especially during special holiday seasons. 

(more)

Retired Principal…2

She also has consistently designed and sewed items of clothing for community members at no cost to them and has taught a number of women in church groups and  community clubs to sew and manufacture novelty items.

            Hundreds of residents benefited from her literacy classes over many years, even while she carried the weight of her multiple roles in the community as mentor, church secretary, Sunday school director, village lawyer, counsellor, club manager as well as ‘head cook and bottle washer’ for various functions and events throughout Dumfries and adjoining communities.

She has been the recipient of numerous awards from the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, the church, and other groups and organisations across the community and parish.

Though officially retired from the classroom for 13 years, she remains very active, finding time to visit and work with the less fortunate and the youths, encouraging them to make the best of the opportunities they have to grow and mature into leaders and professionals of society. 

In recognition for her service, the St. James Parish Council presented Ms. Brown with the Spirit of Independence Award for outstanding service in the field of community development, at the Independence Civic Ceremony in August.

            She tells JIS News that she is honoured by the award and thanks the parish council, “for recognising the work that I have done in my community.”

“This award is good and I appreciate it very much. It was truly a joy to have served my fellow men and to be of use in the community, where I am still engaging in some levels of community work,” she adds.

(more)

Retired Principal …3

She tells JIS News that she has worked hard for her family as well as members of Dumfries and adjoining areas. “I love people and felt that serving them was my way of expressing that deep love and concern for them, especially the children.  I used to walk for miles to get to and from school and still found time to visit members, who depended on me for assistance of some kind, after school and on weekends,” she says.

Her advice and encouragement to young people and older members of society is: “Don’t give up. Work hard on achieving your goals in life.  Remember always that perseverance brings success”.