This educator is an all-rounder with an exceptional track record of community and social involvement that is matched with outstanding service given to education. Carole Davis-Cunningham is a humanitarian at heart and has contributed 17 distinguished years to education.
Several of those years, she has served as a teacher at the Ocho Rios High School in St Ann, where she has been active in all aspects of school life.
Her various roles at the school include: subject teacher of History, Social Studies and Tourism (to the CAPE students); academic staff representative on the school board from 2010 to present; acting grade supervisor for grade 11 in 2010; assistant grade supervisor for grade 7 to 11 (2004- present); member of the prefect committee and the performing arts committee and leader/facilitator of both the performing arts club and the automotive club.
On reflection, Mrs Davis-Cunningham describes her journey at the Ocho Rios High School as being one which has been a colourful and a very rewarding experience.
Mrs Davis-Cunningham, describes herself as driven, charismatic, energetic, caring, generous, conservative and loving. “I’m a humanitarian at heart. I give a lot. I give my time and resources. I’ve had situations where students are applying for tertiary institutions and they don’t have the money, but I give them the money to go for their interviews or take in their applications… Here at school, the provision of lunch and bus fare to my students,” she said humbly.
However, the St Ann born girl, had her eyes firmly on becoming a lawyer when she was younger, but she could not afford it and so she ventured into teaching.
“My passion for teaching didn’t come out at that time, but came out when I actually started teaching. I actually preferred and loved law. That was my first love, but I couldn’t afford it and so I diverted into teaching. I thought it best at the time, because of me being able to impact lives in a significant way,” Mrs Davis-Cunningham pointed out.
She attended the Salem Basic School, then moved on to the St Ann’s Bay Primary School and later completed her secondary education at St Hilda’s High School. During this time as well, young Carole developed leadership abilities at the Hoolebury Methodist Church, where she attended. Her main role models in her life have been her parents, Joyce and Marselleno Davis.
“My parents… were hard workers from a relatively poor background and they did all they could in terms of educating their children. Values and attitudes were instilled at an early age,” Mrs Davis-Cunningham said.
