May 2013 Volume 10

KC Melbourne Teacher of the Year 2012-Katwanshe Thompson

Basil Waite
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"Rebel with a Cause"

Meet the 29 year old KC Melbourne Teacher of the Year 2012, Katwanshe Thompson. The 9 Decarteret math teacher was elected by her Melbourne peers and awarded the coveted title on Teacher's Day, May, 2012 at a PTA sponsored ceremony held at the Knutsford Court Hotel.

Miss Thompson has since been promoted to exam coordinator and presently teaches 9 Forrest. The writer caught up with her at an appreciation function for Jamaica Spelling Bee Champion Gifton Wright in the multipurpose building towards the end of the 2012 academic year. It was very clear why she was deserving of the award. She was surrounded by her 9 Decarteret students who were proudly distributing their Decarteret Empire newsletter edited by "Miss."

Katwanshe lists assisting with the Joyce Baxter maths club among her extra curricula activities. Her prize of a laptop was much appreciated and roundly applauded by other teachers who marked her with the highest grade based on the criteria of punctuality, attendance, meeting deadlines and involvement in extra curricula activities.

Katwanshe Thompson was born on February 24, 1983 in the rural community of Lincoln, Manchester. It was her dad who gave her the name Katwanshe which sprung from his imagination and penchant for hybrid names.

It takes a village to raise a child and the frail structured Katwanshe grew up in the strict discipline in her Jehovah Witness family. She attended Mount St. Josephs prep and Hatfield Primary schools and later Bishop Gibson High. She graduated from Church Teachers College with a diploma specializing in teaching math. Fresh out of College, she was first approached by Waterford High but was wooed away by Rupert Hemmings and hence entered the hallowed portals of Kingston College some four years ago. She started in 7 Decarteret and followed through with the same set of students to 9 Decarteret over the ensuing years.

She describes herself as a 'rebel with a cause.' It was clear that her tenacity belies her small frame - there is a tiger in her. When asked why a rebel with cause, she retorted, "You have to make it right for me to conform. I rebel if things are not right."

Miss Thompson is single and has defied the family tradition and now attends the Seventh Day Adventist church. She is presently pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree in Mathematics and Education at UWI. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.

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