LASCO, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (M o EYI), has announced the finalists for the 2018 staging of the LASCO Principal and Teacher of the Year awards.

The five shortlisted principals and six teachers were selected after a two-month screening process inclusive of island-wide school visits and panel interviews by senior staff members of the Jamaica Teaching Council, the Joint Board Teacher Education, University of Technology, Jamaica National College for Education Leadership and LASCO.

“It has been a tremendous privilege and honour to host these awards ceremonies year after year,” noted Lascelles Chin, executive chairman and founder of LASCO Affiliated Companies.

“Sometimes I feel as if these awards are now etched in the DNA of LASCO and the nation. And I say this with a deep sense of national pride. We are happy to contribute to national transformation and stability through our awards programme. That’s at the core of our efforts; we are nation builders,” he continued.

The competition is now in its 22nd year,

The nominees were selected based on classroom competency, commitment to education, professional development and community involvement.

The shortlisted principals are: Evorine Henry-Tracey, Brimmer Vale High; Joseph Williams, St James High; Margaret Campbell, St George’s College; Rhyne McKay-Bennett, Kellits Primary; and Brent James from St Mary’s Primary and Infant School.

The shortlisted teachers are: Nigel Powell, Charlemont High; Ann-Marie Cephas, St Andrew Technical High; Dahlia Brown-Dawson, Holmwood Technical High; Rohan Harrison, Manchester High; Garth Dixon, Mandeville Primary; and Amorkard Brown from Munro College.

All finalists will receive plaques, gift certificates and gift baskets courtesy of LASCO. The top principal and teacher will receive champion trophies, cash prizes valued at $250,000 each and the opportunity to attend the 2019 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Conference to be held in Chicago, Illinois in March 2019. The first runners-up will receive trophies and $150,000 each in addition to accompanying the Teacher and Principal of the Year to the conference. The second runners-up will receive trophies and $100,000 each.

“At LASCO, we want these awards to go far beyond the total $6.9 million invested in the programme for the monetary prize package, conference participation, support of the community projects initiated by the finalists and the awards ceremony for the 2017 to 2018 period,” highlighted Chin.

“It is said: one book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world. Therefore, these finalists are the change agents, the transformers Jamaica needs at this time. When our teachers and principals succeed, Jamaica succeeds,” he concluded.

LASCO and the MoEYI will recognise the outstanding performances of educators at the primary and secondary levels at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday, December 11, 2018.