LIFESTYLE

Could Do Better...

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Our biggest obstacle can become our greatest motivation and many success stories have been written from those deemed 'Not likely to succeed'. The Rock abounds with great men and women who in various industries, have given unwavering support to nation building. SO offers a glimpse of the past (a recollective report card, if you will)... those oft awkward formative or high school years when some educators doubted our efforts or simply couldn't see past failing grades, lax attitudes and immaturity.

Althea Laing

When she announced her decision to become a model at the age of 16 her parents thought it was "foolishness". She is fondly referred to as Jamaica's 'grandmother of modelling'. Althea Laing is Jamaica's first supermodel -- despite entering the industry at the age of 28 — a time when many models' careers are drawing to a close. She is Jamaica's and the Caribbean's first model to grace the cover of Essence magazine, and was once the face of many a glamorous editorial. Laing later left the glamorous runways to embrace another of her passions — teaching, which she happily states is "in her blood". Despite being told that "there is no money in teaching", she persevered, and is today the proud founder of the English Language Academy — a tutoring service located in Mandeville, Manchester, that caters to students from different schools in and around the parish. The academy teaches the subject at various levels ranging from GSAT to CAPE to SAT, and lives by this mantra - "Forget money, embrace your passion... if you love something, do it. The money will come eventually."

Alvaro Casserly

"The revered A Wesley Powell, the late headmaster of Excelsior College encouraged independent thinking he taught us leadership skills and encouraged participation in community activities and extra-curricular activities."

Alvaro Casserly is a business executive and the immediate Past President of United Way. Tomorrow, he will receive the Order of Distinction — in the rank of Commander (CD)

Arnold Foote

"I have never been told that I would never make it by any teacher, but I can remember my struggles at Jamaica College with Latin. I was very weak in that subject, and at that time I wanted to become an attorney - Latin would naturally be an integral part of achieving that dream. I would have a difficult time with my (Latin) teacher. I failed it at the Cambridge University exams because I was more interested in playing football and representing Jamaica at a young age, plus I didn't study. But then I matured and soon realised that I had a great interest in marketing and advertising."

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