INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION: Beronis Nelson-Lewis who has almost 30 years experience as a teacher. - Dennis Coke
By David Dunkley, Staff Reporter
BERONIS Nelson-Lewis says she believes she has made her mark in the classroom and is glad she helped to mould young children into persons who can be of value to the society. Mrs. Nelson-Lewis has almost 30 years experience as a teacher and is currently the principal of the Race Course Primary School in Clarendon.
She says she believes teachers have made an invaluable contribution to the country as they have been the ones responsible for sending the young into the society to be good role models of the future.
"We have to be teachers, nurses, parents, doctors, councillors and much more to them," she said.
"Its really a good feeling when someone stops me on the road and says 'Hi miss' and tells me what they are doing and thank me for what I have done for them."
Mrs. Nelson-Lewis attended the Hamwalk All-Age School in St. Catherine, before enrolling at the Tutorial College now on Mountain View Avenue, but formerly on Molynes Road, Kingston. She spent five years there where she studied and got passes in several subjects in the Jamaica Secondary Certificate Examination.
After leaving the college she had two choices, nursing or teaching, and choosing one was not easy as she loved both. She eventually decided on teaching and started as a pre-trained teacher at Sligoville All-Age. After two years she applied and was accepted into the Mico Teachers College in 1970. Three years later she began her apprenticeship at Shortwood Practising.
Mrs. Nelson-Lewis eventually spent 16 years at Shortwood before she was transferred to Padmore All-Age in Coopers Hill, St. Andrew, as the principal of that school.
She spent 11 years there before taking up similar duties at Race Course Primary, last September.
Mrs. Nelson-Lewis did not have to think twice when asked if she would do it over again. "Yes, I would because I feel I have made a positive contribution to the society," she said.
"Up to now I'm still enjoying the role I've played in the classroom and as a principal."
