Marlene McPherson, Outlook Writer
Photo by Marlene Mcpherson
A GENEROUS CUP of love, a dash of passion, three cups of perseverance, a portion of being proactive and sprinkle zeal to taste. Mix all these ingredients together and you will have get the attributes of Marsha Stacy-Ann Guiness. An educator committed to entrepreneurship.
This 31-year-old mother, along with her five-year-old son Wayne-Marc Thompson, reside in Prospect district, St. Thomas. She commutes daily to Kingston Technical High School where she teaches Electronic Document Preparation and Management. This discipline includes typewriting, business English, entrepreneurship education, office procedures, information technology and personal development. She is adequately prepared for this task as she holds a diploma in secretarial studies and a bachelor's degree in education from the University of the Technology, and a certificate
in the training of entrepreneurs from HEART/NTA.
RESPONSIBILITIES
She has been entrusted with a number of responsibilities because of her high standard of professional conduct, taking on such roles as senior teacher, grade supervisor, house mistress, coordinator for the entrepreneurship programme, and the business adviser for the Entrepreneurs' Club. Imagine wearing all these hats! But it was not always like this.
"When I started out it was a challenge as the students were near my age. I was 19 years old but I was able to create an impact on these youngsters through the subjects that I taught. I then established a relationship with them where respect was present and I was the parent away from home," said Marsha.
PERSONAL ISSUES
She realised that a number of students had personal issues, in addition to coping with the demands of learning, hence she had to devise methods that would help to mould more holistic students. Consequently, Marsha wrote a text 'A Guide to Entrepreneurship for High Schools' (there was no appropriate one on the market). This has been a very good venture and, according to her, the text is reader-friendly and in tandem with
the syllabus.
As the coordinator of Entrepreneurship Education Programme, she tries to inject life into the subject. She, therefore, launched the Entrepreneurs' Club where student of this discipline are mobilised to operate businesses on the school campus.
"This is progressive and profitable since students have an on-hands experience," she said.
CRITERIA
A set of criteria are established for students participating in this programme. They must have an average of 75 per cent or more in class and in examination; must display good business ethics; must maintain accurate accounting records for business in operation and they must be engaged in a business which could include trading and manufacturing.
Since the programme a number of students entrepreneurs have emerged. Latroy Vincent is an outstanding example.
"I find him smart, charismatic and able to capitalise on every business opportunity available to him. With his keen sense of entrepreneurship, he amassed within three months a sum of $30,000 in profits.
"A $5,000 award is given to the most outstanding student entrepreneur from grade 10," she explained.
Ms Guiness is not limited
to the doors of the classroom.
She is concerned with students empowerment.
MOTIVATED
"My dream is to see young people highly motivated and empowered to become entrepreneurs so that they can create wealth for themselves and improve the status of the country, hence I keep abreast of what is happening in the news."
It was while listening to a business news cast one Friday night that she heard the charge that William 'Bill' Clarke, head of Scotiabank gave, that people should develop a nation of entrepreneurs. She decided to take him to task. She wrote to him with a view of seeking assistance for her school. "Within a week of the delivery of the letter I received a call to meet with Mrs. Marie Powell, vice-president of corporate affairs and Ms. Debra Williams, executive director of Micro Enterprise Financing Limited a lending agency set up under the of Initiative of Scotiabank, funded by CIDA and the Kingston Restoration Company. This organisation focuses on group lending.
"After my presentation proposal Debra Williams decided to adopt the programme but Mrs. Powell said that the bank can only assist if it is endorsed by the Ministry of Education. It was at this point that I decided to approach the Minister of Education. I sent a letter to the Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson, along with articles on entrepreneurship. I received a call from her secretary who informed me of an appointment for Tuesday November 1, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. I was extremely excited reaching this stage," she said chuckling.
That meeting did take place and again her presentation, she said, was well-received. However, while nothing significant happened from the Ministry of Education she has noted Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson was the guest speaker at a launching of 'A Young Entrepreneurship Association of Jamaica'.
Marsha is currently working on upgrading her book and also compiling a new workbook for the Electronic Document Preparation Management.
