Alma Mater

Alma Mater “Work and Integrity “is the motto of the prestigious St. Elizabeth Technical High School which is located in the heart of Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, nestled on a hill. I am proud to say that I am an alumnus of this reputable Institution. This Institution has shaped me into the person I am today. St. Elizabeth Technical High School produces a full basket of fruitful individuals who are ready to take on the world for example journalists and athletes in the various sports such as football and track and field. I was a student at this Institution for six years, and my time spent there was very rewarding. I learned many life lessons and attained many skills which are beneficial to my wellbeing and country. My alma mater is not only a technical school that equips students with the various skills but also an Institution that provides students with the values and social ethics of society and teaches students how to become active members in their community and beyond. The buildings, teachers, curriculum and the many challenges I faced shaped the overall meaning of what my alma mater entails. Firstly, the buildings of my Alma Mater are a representation of the educational values it imparts to students. The buildings are painted in the beautiful and rich colors of blue and gold. Most importantly, gold is a symbol of success, achievement, triumph, prestige, and excellence. This Institution produces successful individuals and provides students with the right and profound education. On the other hand, blue symbolizes wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, and truth. St. Elizabeth Technical High School provides students with the required knowledge that they will need to explore in the world. These striking colors reflect the quality education my alma mater offers. In addition, there is a glorious and breathtaking fountain with an image of the school’s remarkable Coat of Arms which I so admire. My favorite building was the school’s auditorium which was large enough to hold about a thousand students. The auditorium was a special place for prayer meetings and a place where the exciting and glorious devotions held every morning. Moreover, the auditorium was like a sports arena where many persons would meet and take part in various sporting activities such as dominoes and badminton. Secondly, what I admired most about my alma mater were the dedicated teachers who nurtured their students into flourishing gardens of brightly colored sunflowers. Teachers are angels sent from God to nurture and to facilitate the needs of students. I admired my Literature teacher, Ms. Clarke; she was the best Literature teacher at St. Elizabeth Technical High School. Her teaching styles were just amazing and everyone liked her. Her classes were never boring, and in most of her classes she was always sharing jokes with the class or something interesting that happened during her childhood. The way she spoke to the class, her versatile accent and her vibrant energy were what stood out for me about her. When I got accepted into the school’s Sixth Form program, I did English Literature and therefore met a new teacher who taught me the subject. Her name was Mrs. Gavin; I always feared her because she was a very shameful teacher and was very strict at times as it related to completing assignments but other than that she was a great and experienced teacher in her field. Ms. Clarke was a teacher who students could relate to; she had an interactive personality, excellent teaching styles and also very friendly. On the other hand, Mrs. Gavin was not a friendly person; she was the teacher who most students feared because she was always shaming everybody. Similarly, both teachers are very good teachers with excellent and interactive learning styles. Thirdly, the curriculum of my institution facilitated my educational needs. I attained many skills while at the high school which I am truly grateful for. I did practical subjects for example Food and Nutrition and Agricultural Science. Food and Nutrition was my vocational area, and I learned many skills, for example baking cakes, swiss rolls, making pastry products such as plantain tarts and chicken patties, making jams, cooking casserole dishes and many other skills. The Institution also offers various sporting activities such as football, basketball, netball and track and field. Also, the campus has a variety of clubs. A club is a place where students get extra learning that can develop or enhance their educational abilities. My alma mater offered a variety of clubs where students could go and enhance their educational capacity; some of these clubs were the Spanish and French clubs, and also the Writers or Journalism club which I was a part of, the drama club, the Sign Language club and may others. Finally, while at the high school I faced many problems and challenges. One of those problems that I faced was to decide on my career path and the subjects I should choose to transition to the Fifth form. I’m that person who always wants to become involved in and exposed to everything. I wanted to become a chef, a lawyer, a marine biologist and a movie producer and because of this I had problems deciding on which subjects to choose, so I had to take a career test and with the advice of my teachers could select a suitable career and choose my classes for the Fifth Form. In essence, my alma mater represented success, and its motto “Work and Integrity” was the key foundation on which the school is grounded. The buildings, curriculum, teachers and the many problems and challenges I faced shaped me into becoming a successful person today.