By Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
AT JUST 19 years old, the tall, unassuming Kevon Forbes is a teacher of technical drawing and woodwork at his alma-mater Munro College, where he was the head boy a mere one year ago.
The son of businessman Wayne Forbes and Sandra Beckford, who now reside overseas, young Forbes, who lives with his grandparents in Balvinie Heights in Manchester, when he is not in residence at Munro, is a master of many fine qualities.
"I have learnt a lot at Munro. I have learnt to be obedient and I have learnt to obey school rules," said Mr. Forbes, in recounting his experience as a student at the 167-year-old school. "I have learnt that time wasted can never be regained."
While his eight passes in the CXC exams might be considered modest, according to Munro standards, Mr. Forbes was considered exceptionally gifted in the technical area, where he has excelled in technical drawing and building technology.
Although he is currently enjoying his stint as a teacher, Mr. Forbes, who now plays a key role in the maintenance of discipline at Munro, admits that while he did not intend to become a teacher, he has "no regrets."
"I would not say that I always wanted to become a teacher but I enjoy educating the younger generation," said Mr. Forbes, who is quite a confident person despite his obvious stutter. "I plan to pursue a career in architecture. Over the summer I thought about being a teacher and serving my school for another year."
Mr. Forbes, who is probably one of the youngest teachers in the history of Munro, is poised to move on from Munro next year as he is set to attend the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), where he hopes to acquire qualifications in architecture.
"I applied to FIT and was accepted (but) I am being asked by my head of department and the fourth formers to carry them to the CXCs," said the youthful teacher, who thanks God for his ability to impart knowledge despite his speech impediment. "People ask how I teach and how the boys understand. I don't know, it's just God. I just talk slowly and the stuttering subsides."
Forbes contribution to Munro has been multi-faceted since he entered the institution as a first form boarder in 1996. He was involved in various activities spanning track and field (1996-1999), president of the Inter School Christian Fellowship (ISCF) (2000-2001), prefect and (2001-2003), head boy (2002-2003) and now is a member of staff since last September.
While he might be a loss to the teaching profession at the end of the current academic year, based on his discipline, commitment to hard work and his many other scholastic principles, the world of architecture should be the recipient of a class act when he joins that noble profession.
