Tweet
Look who's smiling now
Lasco teacher, principal of the year silence detractorsBY KIMONE THOMPSON Observer staff reporter thompsonk@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Neither of them should have turned out to be anything good, or so they were told in their younger years by relatives and teachers. Yesterday however, Joan Davis-Williams and O'Neil Ankle silenced their detractors when they were awarded the 2007-2008 Lasco/Ministry of Education Teacher and Principal of the Year awards respectively.
Davis-Williams, who was selected from a field of six shortlisted senior teachers, is the human resource co-ordinator at Ardenne High School where she has worked for a little over 28 years. After receiving her prize at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday, the 53-year-old said the award was "the icing on the cake" for her since she was previously awarded Master Teacher by the education ministry.
With bright smiles and trophies in hand, the 2007-2008 Lasco/Ministry of Education Principal of the Year, O'Neil Ankle (left), and Teacher of the Year, Joan Davis-Williams, pose with chairman of the Lasco group of companies, Lascelles Chin, at the annual awards ceremony for local educators at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday. The two received trophies, gift baskets, spa packages, expense-paid trips to an education conference in New Orleans and $100,000 each for coming out on top of the annual contest. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood)
"I always wanted to be in education because I was told by some of my senior teachers at CAST [now the University of the Technology] between 1973 and 1976 that my lamp would not have shone as a teacher and that I would not have made it, and I needed to prove them wrong," Davis-Williams said.
And that she certainly has done. In her 31-year career, she has published five textbooks and has occupied different positions within the school system such as grade teacher, subject teacher and acting vice principal. She currently teaches personal development (a course she developed), home economics, customer service and study skills.
As for Ankle, who has been holding the reins at Green Park Primary & Junior High School in Clarendon since 2003, the vindication he felt by being recognised by Lasco and the education ministry was well deserved.
"Upon leaving high school in the 80s I did not know that this little black boy who was born in Jones Town and who grew up in Papine would one day walk among the movers and shakers of this country," he said. "Not when many thought I would not have turned out to be anything good in life.
"So I accept this award, not only representing my educated friends, but those who have come from the bowels of depravity and for those who think they have to make their situation their destiny."
The accomplished principal is a trained teacher, administrator, coach and journalist. He holds a Masters in Education from Nova South Eastern University in the United States and a diploma in school principal administration from Mt St Vincent University in Canada. His first degree is in Communications and he worked with the Jamaica Information Service as a news reporter, producer and presenter for about six years.
Davis-Williams is the seventh teacher to receive the Lasco award while Ankle is the second person to be honoured as Principal of the Year.
At the awards ceremony yesterday, chairman of the Lasco Group of Companies, Lascelles Chin, reiterated his company's commitment to the development of Jamaica through education.
"We at Lasco feel privileged and humbled to honour our teachers. These persons who live a life of sacrifice, positively moulding young lives inside and outside of the classroom," he said.
Lasco teacher, principal of the year silence detractorsBY KIMONE THOMPSON Observer staff reporter thompsonk@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Neither of them should have turned out to be anything good, or so they were told in their younger years by relatives and teachers. Yesterday however, Joan Davis-Williams and O'Neil Ankle silenced their detractors when they were awarded the 2007-2008 Lasco/Ministry of Education Teacher and Principal of the Year awards respectively.
Davis-Williams, who was selected from a field of six shortlisted senior teachers, is the human resource co-ordinator at Ardenne High School where she has worked for a little over 28 years. After receiving her prize at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday, the 53-year-old said the award was "the icing on the cake" for her since she was previously awarded Master Teacher by the education ministry.
With bright smiles and trophies in hand, the 2007-2008 Lasco/Ministry of Education Principal of the Year, O'Neil Ankle (left), and Teacher of the Year, Joan Davis-Williams, pose with chairman of the Lasco group of companies, Lascelles Chin, at the annual awards ceremony for local educators at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday. The two received trophies, gift baskets, spa packages, expense-paid trips to an education conference in New Orleans and $100,000 each for coming out on top of the annual contest. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood) "I always wanted to be in education because I was told by some of my senior teachers at CAST [now the University of the Technology] between 1973 and 1976 that my lamp would not have shone as a teacher and that I would not have made it, and I needed to prove them wrong," Davis-Williams said.
And that she certainly has done. In her 31-year career, she has published five textbooks and has occupied different positions within the school system such as grade teacher, subject teacher and acting vice principal. She currently teaches personal development (a course she developed), home economics, customer service and study skills.
As for Ankle, who has been holding the reins at Green Park Primary & Junior High School in Clarendon since 2003, the vindication he felt by being recognised by Lasco and the education ministry was well deserved.
"Upon leaving high school in the 80s I did not know that this little black boy who was born in Jones Town and who grew up in Papine would one day walk among the movers and shakers of this country," he said. "Not when many thought I would not have turned out to be anything good in life.
"So I accept this award, not only representing my educated friends, but those who have come from the bowels of depravity and for those who think they have to make their situation their destiny."
The accomplished principal is a trained teacher, administrator, coach and journalist. He holds a Masters in Education from Nova South Eastern University in the United States and a diploma in school principal administration from Mt St Vincent University in Canada. His first degree is in Communications and he worked with the Jamaica Information Service as a news reporter, producer and presenter for about six years.
Davis-Williams is the seventh teacher to receive the Lasco award while Ankle is the second person to be honoured as Principal of the Year.
At the awards ceremony yesterday, chairman of the Lasco Group of Companies, Lascelles Chin, reiterated his company's commitment to the development of Jamaica through education.
"We at Lasco feel privileged and humbled to honour our teachers. These persons who live a life of sacrifice, positively moulding young lives inside and outside of the classroom," he said.
Comment