Networking is a key part of professional development. Consequently, a cocktail reception was hosted for the National Baking Company Foundation STEM Enhancement Scholarship Fund Programme (NBCF)/Building Out Our Stem Teachers (BOOST) Fellows on November 26, 2022 at the ROK Hotel. The reception brought together BOOST Fellows from Cohorts 1 and 2 along with representatives from the Faculty of Science and Technology and Humanities and Education (School of Education), The UWI Mona Campus Bursar (Mrs. Catherine Park-Thwaites), The UWI Mona Deputy Campus Registrar (Mr. Jonathan Archie), partners and representatives from ‘BOOST Schools’ including Wolmers’ Boys, St. Catherine High, St. Jago High and Clarendon College for an evening of socialization and networking; the session was chaired by Prof Tannecia Stephenson, Deputy Dean, FST, The UWI, Mona Campus. The event saw Fellows receiving their Certificates of Participation for the STEM teacher training workshop hosted by the School of Education in July 2022 as well as testimonials from Mr. Linval Levy (Teacher, Clarendon College) and BOOST Fellows, Alex Clarke and Shanel Wisdom.  Mr. Craig Hendrickson (Director, National Baking Company Foundation) in his Greeting, commended the Fellows for their stellar contributions to STEM Education across Jamaica. The Fellows also received complimentary gift baskets from the National Baking Company Foundation and tokens from other partners.

In exemplifying one of the tenets of the BOOST programme, ‘giving back’, Fellows from Cohort 1 contributed a laptop to the Faculty’s ‘Tech for Science Laptop Drive’ initiative coordinated by the Office for Student Experience in the Faculty of Science and Technology. Three BOOST Fellows, Alex Clarke, Kyra Taylor, Gabrielle Gayle who served Jamaica’s education industry for a year and subsequently opted to pursue other STEM professions were acknowledged for their contributions.

A one year reflection, presented by Dr. Andre Coy (BOOST Programme Coordinator), highlighted that Twenty-seven (27) Fellows are currently engaged in the programme. To date, the programme has partnered with twenty-five (25) schools across more than seven (7) parishes and has impacted over five thousand (5000) students. Since inception, the programme has forged strong linkages which nine (9) industry partners, including the primary partner, the National Baking Company Foundation.

 Prof. Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology presented a forecast of the programme, an indication of what he as chief architect of this pioneering and award-winning initiative, envisions for the future.

The conceptualizers extend gratitude to the NCBF/BOOST partners for their continued support: National Baking Company Foundation, National Commercial Bank Foundation, Digicel Foundation, Ministry of Education, Jamaica Teaching Council, National Education Inspectorate Students’ Loan Bureau, Americans Friend of Jamaica, Mico University College, Chemical, Medical and Scientific Supplies Limited and the Steering Committee for its invaluable contributions.

Photo Caption: BOOST Fellows, partners and stakeholders at BOOST Cocktail Reception hosted on November 26, 2022 at ROK Hotel.

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