Marlon Vickerman, Staff Reporter

Janel Jackson - contributed

Janel Jackson says the past two years of her life have been the most rewarding so far.

Why? The young teacher at the Godfrey Stewart High School in Westmoreland said everyday she gets the chance everyday, to positively contribute to the lives of those she faces in the classrooms, an opportunity she deeply cherishes.

"I have always wanted to be a teacher," Jackson told The Star. "Since my childhood days, I have had a passion for teaching so I grew up having that love and appreciation for the profession." Jackson said there were countless occasions when, as a child, she would dress in her grandmother's clothes and play school by herself. Her grandmother's bed would be the students and the door the chalkboard.

After leaving Anchovy High School, in St James in 2002, Jackson spent three years at Church Teachers' College in Mandeville, Manchester, where she earned her teaching diploma, and subsequently, a place at the Godfrey Stewart, where she now teaches English language, English literature and health and family education.

"I really love my job," Jackson said. "I look forward to going to work in the mornings. I look forward to teaching my students and learning from them as well because that is really what happens, we both learn from each other."

The teacher said that despite the obstacles and down days she sometimes encounters on the job, the deep-rooted love of the classroom and genuine care for her pupils keep her focused and motivated to continue. In her own words: "The love keeps me coming back."