A number of outstanding women educators were honoured by CTL at Caymanas Park on Saturday. From left, Dr. Cecile Walden, Karen Hewett-Kennedy, Dr. Barbara Buckley-Jones, Sister Shirley Chung, Gloria Johnson and Octavia Waite. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
KEEPING WITH the theme Oaks Day is Women's Day, Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) continued the tradition of honouring outstanding professional women in specific fields at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Last year, CTL in conjunction with former sponsors Courts Jamaica Limited honoured outstanding women in the visual and performing arts including Barbara Gloudon, Olive Lewin, Fae Ellington and Carlene Davis.
In 2004 it was women in tourism and hospitality industry and in 2002 it was the nurses. In 2000, when Courts came aboard as sponsors, select women in the media were honoured.
On Saturday it was the turn of women educators - seven being honoured. Awards were presented to Sister Shirley Chung, Dr. Barbara Buckley-Jones,Dr. Cecile Walden, Karen Hewett-Kennedy, Octavia Waite, Gloria Johnson and Iris Slack, who was unavoidably absent.
Sister Shirley is a former principal of the Sir Clifford Campbell, Alpha and Jessie Ripoll Primary schools.
Dr. Buckley-Jones is a former principal of Knox College. She also taught at Titchfield and Mannings High schools, in addition to lecturing for four years at the University of the West Indies. She has also figured prominently in several sports and for many years was president of the Jamaica Netball Association.
Hewett-Kennedy is active in the Portmore area of St. Catherine, where Caymanas Park is located and helps shape minds at the Portmore Community College.
Waite is also a Portmore community activist and director of the Creme de la Creme Groom-ing School, which is located in the municipality. She is also chairperson of the Portmore Cultural Development Committee.
Walden has been principal of the Sam Sharpe Teachers' College since 1985 and is an active member of many local and international cultural and educational organisations, in-cluding the National Council of Education, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, PALS and the Jamaica Teachers' Association.
May, who is also a Justice of the Peace, has been principal of St. George's Primary School for girls since 1971 and co-founder of the Blackstonedge Skills Training Centre. Johnson made her entry into education in 1967 at the St. Ann's Bay Primary School and in later years lectured at Moneague Teacher's College before being elevated to principal of the institution in 1997.
Slack, whose award was received in her absence by a relative, was cited for her distinguished service at various levels in several organisations, both locally and abroad.
- O.C.
