Beacon of the day | Westmoreland hairdresser teaching 15 students voluntarily amid COVID

A cosmetologist and interior designer from Seaton Crescent in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, is teaching 15 students voluntarily at her home amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has disrupted schools island-wide since March.

Lucresha Myers said she usually provides fundamental academic and other support mainly to her three biological children.

One of her sons is a diabetic, and so she intended to approach the Ministry of Education regarding homeschooling. With that in mind, she started in July to prepare a classroom at her home.

Some residents got wind of Myers’ homeschooling plans, and so requested that their children be facilitated. Myers did not hesitate.

She started the classes on September 7 with six children, including hers.

That number has grown to 15.

Some of the students attend Petersfield High School, Savanna-la-Mar Primary, Paradise Prep, Sir Clifford Campbell Primary, and Higher Heights Academy.

Myers told The Beacon: “It is not always easy especially when the children become frustrated.”

She explained that she helps with assignments, and ensures that the students participate in online classes that are facilitated by their respective schools.

“We tune in everyday whether it is a live session or if work is sent in the Google classroom,” she said.

Myers also ensures that completed assignments are uploaded individually and submitted via email to the different teachers and schools.

She stated that one of the major challenges is that eight of the students don’t own electronic devices needed to connect to online classes.

As a result of that, Myers shares the six gadgets that belong to her and her three children.

She noted that some people have seen her good work and have endorsed it.

Her supporters includes Principal of Savanna-la-Mar Primary, Megan Berry, who sometimes donates books and food items that are prepared for the students.

Myers is also grateful to her customers who usually show up at the salon she operates at home.

“I have been doing online classes and so my clients already know that, between the hours of 7AM and 12 noon, I don’t work,” she told The Beacon.

Myers attributed her generosity to the fact that she is active in her relatively large family. Her mother Sandra Brown has 11 children – including two for her father Alexander Myers. She said her father treats all his step-children as though they are his own.

Myers, like her father, has been an impressive parent.

She was awarded on two occasions for being an ‘outstanding parent’ to her children – once at Savanna-la-Mar Primary and the other time at Higher Heights Academy.

Myers’ children, in the meantime, have been doing well academically and in leadership.

The two younger ones are on the honour roll at Savanna-la-Mar Primary.

Her second son, Tahji Ellis, was Head Boy at Higher Heights Academy, from which he graduated in 2018 as valedictorian.

Furthermore, her only daughter, Tashaine Thompson, graduated from Higher Heights Academy as Head Girl and valedictorian in 2019.

Her first child is Demar Anderson, who is a first former at Petersfield High School.

Myers told The Beacon that, over the years, some of her children’s teachers have encouraged her to pursue studies in Early Childhood Education. She eventually started the course but didn’t finish it.

Myers’ big dream is to become an architect – something she can achieve if she attains more subjects.

She already has four CSEC subjects under her belt – Technical Drawing, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Physics.

Myers attended Savanna-la-Mar Infant School, Unity Primary, Petersfield High, and Culloden Vocational Training Centre.

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