By Elgin Taylor, Star Reporter

Kay-Ann McKoy - Elgin Taylor

At age 15, the average high school student is probably thinking about sorting out the subjects that they would want to study at fifth form.

At that stage of her life, Kay-Ann Mckoy, then a student at Holy Childhood High, was busy writing applications to the University of the West Indies, and the University of Technology (UTECH).

"Yes, I wrote those applications with the hope that I would get through, but I was told I was too young," she reminisced.

However, the rejection did not deter this spunky youngster, and on graduating from high school two years later, she applied and got enrolled at St. Joseph's Teachers College in St. Andrew.

She told The Star that she enjoyed her years at St. Joseph's, more so because her mother was also a student at the institution. She also said that her mother was the one who 'steered' her in the direction of the teaching profession.

At the end of her three-year course in 2001, young Mckoy, who was also the school's valedictorian, graduated with a teacher's diploma in primary education.

"I got my first teaching job at Victoria All-Age School in Linstead in St. Catherine. I remember the date ... It was on the third of September, 2001, straight out of college. I have progressed over the years to the point where I have been acting in the post of senior teacher since 2005."

This 26-year-old, highly-motivated, young educator has been making strides in her professional development since leaving college.

She is the holder of a bachelors degree in primary education from Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada. This was facilitated through the local campus of St. Joseph's Teachers' College. The period of study was from 2004- 2006.

She has also completed a certificate course in 2006 at the Edna Manley School of Visual and Performing Arts through a scholarship from the Ministry of Education. In addition, she served as a resource teacher in the Ministry of Education's New Horizon Project for schools.

To date, she said her time in the profession has been full of experiences.

"My experience in teaching, so far, has been bittersweet." she stated.

"Bittersweet in the sense that you enjoy teaching, but as a young person sometimes you feel so restricted," she said.

"In some ways the disappointment is not seeing the (intended) development of your students. For instance, I once taught a group of grade four students and I felt that I brought them up to a certain level, only to be disappointed later when I had the same set of students in a grade six class," she lamented.

Nevertheless, she is upbeat about her future in the profession.

"I hope to pursue a masters degree in human resource management in the near future. However, I have no intention of leaving the profession. I want to be better able to deal with the students, and not just my students, but others in the institution as well."

She also declared that she would be in a better position to share her new-found knowledge with other members of staff.