BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – JENNIFER BENNET-NORFORD, do you know her? Well, if you do not, let me refresh your memory. She is that veteran elementary teaching professional from Sandy Point who, in 2009, was bestowed a Presidential Award in the US Virgin Islands (USVI).
She was among 26 nationals of that territory who received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. And quite recently she graduated from Walden University with a Doctorate degree in Administrative Leadership for Teaching and Learning.
The 2008 Virgin Islands Teacher of the Year Finalist, who is classified as a gifted and talented individual, teaches fifth and sixth grade pupils at the Ulla F. Muller Elementary School on St. Thomas, USVI, and has been doing so for some 14 years in that territory.
According to the Virgin Islands Daily News, in August, last, she completed her doctoral dissertation – “Increasing Fourth Grade Students’ Proficiency at Solving Mathematical Word Problems” – and travelled to Florida in January to attend the commencement ceremony.
The media house noted that Bennet-Norford said she is writing a series of children workbooks and also a motivational book.
It also noted that she thanked her husband, Frederick Norford; son, Jehran; family; friends; the Ulla Muller Elementary School staff and faculty; and her First Church of God family; the Gomez Elementary School staff and faculty and Principal Freida Farrow; the fourth-grade teachers; and math coach who were all instrumental in her completing her doctoral dissertation.
In 2009 when the Kittitian was bestowed the Presidential Award, Charlotte Amalie quoted her as saying, “This prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching has put me among top science educators. I am extremely elated to have been chosen by the National Science Foundation for the award. Last year, I was a Teacher of the Year finalist, but now I have the icing on the cake for getting national recognition from the National Science Foundation and President Barack Obama for excellent teaching in science.”
Bennet-Norford has a B.A., magna cum laude, in Elementary Education and a M.A. in education with a concentration in educational administration. She also completed courses in Directed Field Experience, School Law, and School Finance at the University of the Virgin Islands.
Before migrating to the USVI, she was a teacher at the Sandy Point Primary School, and one of her pupils, VonDez Phipps, a former reporter of SKNVibes, said he was proud of her achievement and noted “she is an excellent role model”.
“Ms. Bennett was one of my first teachers in primary school, and although I was very young it was clear that she was committed to the academic development of all of her students, irrespective of their family background. Today, I salute her as a sterling ambassador of Sandy Point and wish her bliss and success in all future endeavours.”
