IN JAMAICA: Retired teacher, Beverley Brown wants to help educate teen moms

BY RENAE DIXON Sunday Observer staff reporter dixonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, June 01, 2014    

BEVERLEY Brown is one educator who continues to spread the message that although she has retired from the formal system, she is not finished with education.

Brown, who retired earlier this year, is passionate about education and has no plans to sit at home doing little or nothing. The mother of two said she intends to continue using her gift of improving the lives of children.

"I still have more to give to my country," she told the Jamaica Observer.

It is her intention to offer her services at the Women's Centre Foundation of Jamaica to help pregnant teens continue their education and to help these teen mothers to go on to become successful women in society.

Brown is passionate about that group of students who often drop out of school. While she is concerned about teenage mothers, she said that she is also examining young men, as they, like the young women, often drop out

of school.

"I like to help children who are in need of help," she said.

In spite of the economic challenges now being faced, Brown said that she intends to work with teen mothers both at the Women Centre Foundation as well as in her community of Lime Hall,

St Ann.

Brown, who served as an educator for 34 years, lives by the Bible verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", and the saying, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Expressing her love for the profession that she chose, Brown said that the love for what she did was honed by her teachers when she attended school.

"I always admired my teachers," she told the Sunday Observer, adding that the admiration for her teachers and her passion for children led to her entering the classroom early.

"I used to play school at home with my siblings and with the trees," she added.

At age 17, after finishing high school, she started out as a pre-trained teacher. Brown left Jamaica shortly after for Canada, but after a short stint there became homesick and headed back to the land of her birth. Upon returning home, she picked up where she

left off, pursuing a career in education. more