Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter

Angela Chaplain - photo by ian Allen/Staff Photographer

"I'm four feet, 11 inches but 10 feet tall in spirit." This is how principal of Vauxhall High School, Angela Chaplain, describes herself. With a wealth of experience and a family of educators, Chaplain became principal of the school to make it "a school where students opt to come. I'm building a school where people will be running to," she stressed.

Chaplain fell in love with the profession but detoured before arriving at her present destination. Her aunt Hazel Vaz founded Vaz Preparatory and her uncle Adrian Ashton Chaplain taught at St. George's College. In 1973, Chaplain became an assistant teacher at Vaz Preparatory and fell in love. "I found them [the children] quite fascinating."

Change of Heart

However, after graduating from Mico College in 1979, and receiving her first pay cheque, she decided that teaching was not for her. Chaplain then worked with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) as an airport hostess and later with a local airline. She eventually returned to Vaz as the school's bursar.

Politics came next, and she became councillor for the East Kingston Springfield division. "I must be a part of my community. I also wanted to see if I could dispel the myth about politicians, show that they did not have to be sucked into the system."

But she found this task a lot harder than she had imagined. "It was a culture shock to see how people related to each other with a lack of respect. I realised then it wasn't for me, but I had to complete my term."

After her sojourn in politics, Chaplain was elected to the Vauxhall School Board in 1998. In 2001, when then principal Barbara Sinclair resigned, it never crossed her mind to apply for the position.

First day at school

Chaplain was encouraged by a girlfriend to apply for the position. "In September 2003, I said to myself: 'That's why I went into politics.' I knew the people and they understood. The parents and students readily accepted me. The teachers took some time. When there is a new leader, people are usually sceptical."

Chaplain's main goal was to change the view of the school. "The school had the stigma of violence