As Eunice Blake-Brown enters retirement, on May 1, she leaves a legacy of exceptional leadership that led to educational transformation and academic excellence at the Prickly Pole Primary and Infant School.“I would describe my journey at Prickly Pole, as a very challenging but enjoyable one… I enjoyed every moment of it, because I had a goal in mind; I would help each person I came across to be a better person than they were. Being in a deep rural area, I believed that helped me to make a contribution to the people of Nine Miles, Eight Miles and Prickly Pole and, by extension, the world,” recollected Mrs. Blake-Brown in an interview with The Times.Born Eunice Blake in Montego Bay, St. James, she received her early education in the community of Catadupaand as she recounted to The Times, her love for teaching developed from a very early age. “When we got break and lunch time at Lapland Infant school where my formal education began, I would teach the three and four year olds… At the Catadupa Government School, I can remember from as early as Grade 4 whenever a teacher was absent, I would ask the principal if I could teach that class. That was where my love for teaching really started,” she explained.After leaving primary school, she moved to Kingston to start her secondary education and then moved to St. Ann in 1972 where she did private studies.
Early years in Education
The starting point of her career in education began when Mrs. Blake-Brown gained employment as a pre-trained teacher at the Prickly Pole All Age (now Primary) School in September of 1975. This initial stint lasted until July of 1979 but was not all encouraging. “Children did not come to school as often because parents could not afford it and the area was a farming area… I remember some days the principal at the time wrote in the log book, ‘children picking coffee berries,’” she explained.
She took leave from her teaching and enrolled at Moneague Teachers College where she received her trained teachers’ certificate
In 1982 she graduated with a Teacher’s Certificate from Moneague Teacher’s College, after internship at Alva Primary and Infant School. She returned to Prickly Pole All Age School in September of 1982 where she has remained since.
Her stewardship as principal
After the retirement of the principal who began the transition of the school, Mrs. Blake-Brown was appointed acting principal in 1988.
.The early years as principal of Prickly Pole Primary were very challenging. “I had 14 teachers on staff at one point and all were pre-trained teachers. The work load was very heavy as I had to be training teachers and looking out for the students,’’ she explained while adding that there was no light, water and proper bathroom facilities at the time which made operating the school challenging. Yet, she remained committed and devoted to the task at hand of transforming Prickly Pole All Age into a school of choice.
One of her most difficult situations at the school was the impact of Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 which blew off the entire roof. I went throughout the community and collected the sheets of old zincs I could find and they were placed on the roof. We started school as soon as possible and I did not lose a single student,” she said.
Mrs. Blake-Brown was appointed principal in 1991. With this role, she embarked on further training in leadership and school administration which included: Bachelor of Education (Hons) from University of the West Indies in 1997; Post Graduate Diploma and Master of Education Degree from Mount St. Vincent University.
Achievements
Some of the accomplishments under her leadership include the completion of a computer lab at the school in 2003, the opening of a basic school which is now the Prickly Pole Infant School and the construction of proper bathroom facilities at the institution.A great moment of acknowledgment was when she reconnected with a past student. “It was sheer joy when I reconnected after 36 years with a past student of mine. That student is now the Hon. Dr. Don Meredith who is a senator in the Canadian Parliament. He read a citation from the Canadian Parliament which expressed his gratitude for the encouragement I gave him,” expressed a proud Mrs. Blake-Brown.Through the instrumentality of the senator, the school received a visit in 2013 from the Canadian High Commissioner to Lesotho and Jamaica, the Hon. MethaboTsepa. Through the advocacy of Mrs. Eunice Blake-Brown, Prickly Pole Primary and Infant School has also received several barrels of food stuff, books and stationery from a Jamaican-Canadian, Norma Anderson. This gesture has flourished and is now a registered organization — Single Mothers Inspiring Leadership In Education (SMILE). Mrs. Blake-Brown is a liaison officer for the programme which provides bursaries for single mothers from Prickly Pole and neighbouring communities for them to continue their education. SMILE has partnered with the “Power To Be International” to complete a playground at the Prickly Pole Primary and Infant School on March 19, 2015.Mrs. Blake-Brown has also been integral in assisting principals in crafting school development plans and in Ministry programmes.Mrs. Eunice Blake-Brown’s hard work and dedication has not gone unrecognized as she has received the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s Golden Torch Award in 2012 for her 36 years of dedicated service in education.She has acknowledged several people who have contributed to her success.
Life away from education
Mrs. Eunice Blake-Brown noted that she is an optimist by birth and is a member of the Optimist organization which is a service club. She has served as a distinguished past president of the rising Moneague Optimist Club and is the Lieutenant Governor for zones 8 and 9 of the St. Ann Optimist Organization.She has five children and she has encouraged them all to become worth-while individuals in society. Mrs. Blake-Brown also is a firm believer in God and attends the Eight Miles and Ocho Rios First Assembly churches for fellowship.
Mrs. Eunice Blake-Brown can be described as a strong and fearless leader who has worked hard in transforming the Prickly Pole Primary and Infant School into one of the best schools in St. Ann. She will leave behind a rich legacy of achievement that will stand the test of time. “Looking back, I appreciate every moment I spent at Prickly Pole. The journey was not always smooth, but I am left with fond memories where I’ve impacted greatly on many lives.”
