Alesia Edwards
For over four decades, Yvonne Scott has dedicated her life to helping to mold the minds of young Jamaicans, through her contribution to education. Over the period, she has worked in private and public schools as classroom teacher and administrator.
From very early in her life, at about age 16, then Yvonne Shand, she said ahe was encouraged by a youth president to venture into teaching, although her love at the time was nursing. However, she said the youth president told her that teaching was her calling. Mrs Scott has no regrets about deciding on teaching and the journey since her first step in the classroom, back in the 1970’s.
During the National Honours and Awards ceremony at Kings House on Heroes Day, Monday, October 20, Mrs Scott received the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in education for over 40 years.
Having entered the profession as a pre trained teacher on January 1,1973, Mrs Scott has worked selflessly in the education sector and if she were to do it over again, she would not hesitate.
“It has been extremely rewarding, because there are a number of professionals who are contributing to the society that I am a part of their lives, they are in every sector,” she told the North Coast Times from her home in Hampstead, Runaway Bay in St. Ann.
WRITING YOUR CV
Mrs Scott said that throughout her years in education, whether she was in the classroom or working as an administrator, she did her job simply because of her love for the profession and the commitment she had towards helping to build a better Jamaica. She said while she was grateful for the award, it was not something she was working to received.
“I am extremely humbled. I never anticipated it, but as you go through life and contribute you are actually writing your curriculum vitae, some body is actually seeing you and your contribution and think that it should be rewarded,” she said.
She said: “I wasn’t looking for an award, I was making my contribution to Jamaica because many of my colleagues have migrated, but I think that having spent over 40 years in the education field, it is a contribution and I am still giving back so I am humbled and grateful.”
Prior to Shortwood Teachers College in St. Andrew where she received her training in education, Mrs Scott started at Hoolebury All Age (now Primary) as a pre trained teacher. She returned for her internship also at Hoolebury and was later employed as a classroom teacher for 12 years. She left the government service for Hampton Prep, also in Runaway Bay where she worked for nine years as an administrator and a year as classroom teacher at Columbus Prep in St. Ann’s Bay.
She reentered the government system, serving for 13 years at Cee Tee Basic School in St. Ann’s Bay, nine years as the trained teacher at the school overseeing the training and upgrading of the other teachers before she was appointed principal. Mrs Scott who is now on pre retirement leave said she feels fulfilled from the many lives she has impacted in a positive way. She goes on retirement next February.
A trained Brownie Guider for more than 20 years, Mrs Scott has also been actively involved in the 4-H Movement and the development of the Hampstead community. During her studies at the University of West Indies, Mrs Scott took on the erection of the Hampstead community bus shed as a major project. Now, she is actively involved in getting the Beverly Basic School to return to its glory days.
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Through her church, The Moving Church of God INC., Jamaica in Runaway Bay, she is also assisting with the renovation of the school and upgrade of its play area.
Married to Dennis Scott, the educator said her husband and children have been very supportive of her role as an educator. Mrs Scott is also very active in church where she serves as general secretary of the Moving Church of God INC., Jamaica. She is also a board member at the Hoolebury Primary school.
