Lecturer & Mother of Three Triumphs as Valedictorian of SVGCC Teachers’ Division 

By Admin. Updated 9:33 p.m., Wednesday, June 25, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Mrs Shanel Samuel-Lewis, a lecturer at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College’s Division of Technical and Vocational Education (DTVE), has demonstrated grit and perseverance by successfully pursuing an Associate Degree in TVET – Industrial Arts while balancing her roles as a mother of three and a wife.

In 2023, Mrs Samuel-Lewis made the decision to enhance her skills in Technical and Vocational Education by enrolling in the TVET Industrial Arts programme. On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, she graduated from the SVGCC’s Division of Teacher Education (DTE) as valedictorian.

Inspired by the quote from Christa McAuliffe – “I touch the future, I teach,” Mrs Samuel-Lewis told One News SVG that her motivation stemmed from her extensive experience in the teaching profession.

“Being in the teaching profession for quite some time, I noticed my shortcomings as someone who was not teacher-trained. I wanted to fix that and ensure my students received the best education tailored to them,” she said in an exclusive interview.

The Vermont resident, who teaches several TVET courses including welding, explained how her technical expertise influenced her approach to teaching and learning.

“Welding and other technical courses require a lot of problem-solving and critical thinking. Teaching and learning are no different. For effective teaching and learning to take place, I am required to think about the problems my students face and devise solutions to ensure they have their best chance of success. Using these skills in my technical areas keeps my brain sharp for when they are required in the classroom,” she explained.

A devout Christian whose favourite scripture is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” Mrs Samuel-Lewis said she had no doubts or fears about her decision to pursue the programme.

“I felt confident about my decision to pursue studies at the Division of Teacher Education and that it was the best move at the time.”

She also discussed how she balanced her responsibilities as a mother and wife with the demands of returning to school and completing her degree.

“It took strict scheduling and sticking to it. It also took a wonderfully supportive husband, extended family and close friends, who helped when asked,” she said.

Her journey was not without challenges.

“The major challenge was time management, especially since my children and I had exams around the same time, or there were times when I had up to 24 assignments to complete in three months. There were moments of frustration, depression and downright anger. However, after complaining to my husband, I would turn to God and ask Him for the strength and soundness of mind to get through this because failure was not an option. I also didn’t procrastinate when it came to assignments, which allowed me to do and submit excellent work,” Mrs Samuel-Lewis told One News SVG.

As valedictorian, she offered advice to other educators and students pursuing further education.

“My advice would be to pursue a field you have a genuine interest in, care about the quality of work you produce, manage your time wisely, take breaks when you feel overwhelmed, reach out to others when you need help and most importantly, trust God because He didn’t bring you this far to leave you,” she said.

Mrs Samuel-Lewis said she is now energised and ready to return to the classroom at DTVE in September.

“I plan to implement many of the new strategies I learnt within my classrooms, to ensure that I am not only an effective teacher but that my students leave feeling enriched and motivated to learn even more,” she said.

“I envision improved teaching strategies that will cater to the diverse learning needs of my students, resulting in increased success for my students and ultimately this nation,” she added.

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