WHILE fifth-form students from three high schools in Kingston might have just been prepared to soak up helpful tips to use in their English literature CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) examination next year, they received much more from the Jamaica Observer’s Reading for Good seminar yesterday morning.

The seminar, which took place in the auditorium at the Shortwood Teachers’ College in St Andrew, saw students from Calabar High, Meadowbrook High and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) School Leavers Institute actively engaging in conversations about their upcoming exams as well as the importance of mental health and financial planning.

“It is primarily an English literature workshop, but it also touches on mental health awareness, targeted at CSEC students and some CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) students as well, because we also want the older children who are leaving school to be more educated about mental health and so we have [planned] three seminars,” Observer Business Development and Marketing Coordinator Kesi Asher said.

She added that the first seminar was conducted on Wednesday in Westmoreland and the third one is expected to be staged today in Claremont, St Ann. Asher noted that inspiration for the seminars stemmed from wanting to help students who use the paper’s educational products, such as the Study Centre online, as well as a concern about mental illness in the society and the importance of mental health and awareness.

The first presentation of the morning saw COK (City of Kingston) Sodality Co-operative Credit Union Limited representative Roger Lim-Sang leading a spirited discussion about the importance of being financially responsible, which was well received by students. Another presentation by marketing executive at PR Etcetera, Natalia Leon, touched on mental health and the importance of following your dreams.

Head of the Department for English at Calabar High School and CSEC script marker Simone Gibbs addressed students about the regional English literature exam, touching on the structure of the examination papers as well as several changes that have been made for next year’s sitting.

She explained that, unlike previous years where ‘Section A’ of Paper Two would have four questions, two on the Shakespearean text and two on the prescribed modern drama text, next year’s paper will see only two questions — one for each respective text.

She also reminded attendees that ‘Section C’ of the paper will see a reduction in the number of questions from two to one, regarding two of the required texts, To Kill a Mocking Bird and Breath, Eyes, Memory, while noting that two questions would remain for A World of Prose.

Gibbs’ presentation explored questions concerning the effectiveness of literary devices, impressing upon students the importance of being able to determine what the question is asking for and advising how they should go about constructing their answers.

The final presentation for the morning came from guest speaker, Jamaican-born medical doctor Gary Rhule, who currently practises in the United States, about mental health and wellness. He shared his own experiences dealing with an older brother who was later diagnosed with schizophrenia.

He said, with regards to mental illness, he hoped the students left feeling more aware about how common it is and realise that if they remove the stigma and discrimination, and a better system is put in place to help those affected to get better, a lot of good would have been achieved.

“I hope they take away the fact that everything is possible and that they will actually try to achieve their dreams and make it a reality by planning… and hopefully I can inspire one person who loves to write and will be a writer or film-maker, to think, to look around and see that we need to tell our own stories versus having somebody else tell it,” Rhule, who published a book on mental illness in 2013, said following his presentation.

Meanwhile, head of the Department for English at Meadowbrook High School Janice Graham said her students seemed to have benefited greatly from the seminar.

“Well, the fact that the students answered so many questions, and they were engaged the entire time, I was rather impressed with that. I like when presenters are engaging and for the most part they were; the questions were relevant, especially at this level where they are about to sit the exams, I was really pleased with the organisation of the seminar,” Graham said.

— Javene Skyers