Education is not out of style yet!
Youth in Focus Shobaina Clarke

By Claudia Liburd
Trinidad Reporter- SKNVibes.com

Shobaina Clarke

Clarke began her education at the Charlestown Secondary School in 1997 and graduated in 2002. She then went on to the Charlestown Sixth Form College in 2003 where she pursued studies in the fields of Sociology, Communication Studies, Caribbean Studies, Economics and Management of Business.

Upon leaving this tertiary institution in 2005 Clarke was employed at the Charlestown Primary School as a substitute teacher. She continued along the education path, teaching at the Gingerland Primary School up until the summer period preceding her enrollment at UWI.

While many may know Clarke as a teacher, few know that she established her own business marketing a variety of local juices to aid in raising funds to cover her tuition, travel and living expenses.

“I conceptualized an idea and never stopped working until I achieved my dream to attend university. Never give up once you have a dream; find a way to make that dream a reality. You might not be the ‘brightest bulb on the shelf’ but with perseverance you may be the one that shines the longest. Never let anyone tell you that you can not make it,” said Clarke in speaking to SKNVibes.com.

She continued “It has become very competitive for one to find a job now. Most jobs are asking for some form of qualification and experience. When I just finished CAPE I thought I was qualified but doing research showed me that that was just the beginning.”

“I want to be able to make a difference in my community, I want to be a role model, I want to be able to change policies and I want to help to establish new ones. In order for me to do this I need to keep up with the times where education is concerned,” she said.

In describing her first year experience at UWI Clarke noted the difficulty of the transition from living with her family to living on her own.

“I had to get accustomed to being independent of my family and friends that were back at home. 

I had to start the process of making new friends and networking. There were many sleepless nights and hectic days as I tried to meet deadlines and do social work agency visits,” she said.

In order to cope with this stress Clarke said that she enrolled in the Photography Associationof Cave Hill Campus (PHOTACC) which helped to bring more balance to her school life. She also   joined the Adventist Fellowship and regularly attends aerobic classes and tennis practice.  ~~Adz:Left~~

In urging other interested young persons to pursue tertiary education Clarke advocated her former primary school’s motto to “aim for the stars and reach the sky”.

She said, “Education is a personal thing you can only receive if you personally put the effort into it. I was never considered ‘bright’ but I am a hard worker. If I can make it this far I know that you can make it even further.

“The more educated you are the greater advantage you have for potential job placements.  You would also be more marketable not only for your home country but all over the world,” she said.