Young Professional Orlandette Crabbe Assistant Vice Principal at the Althea Scatliffe Primary School Photo: VINO

Mrs. Crabbe along with students of Grade 5 at the ASPS. Photo: VINO

Mrs. Crabbe along with students of grade 5 at the ASPS. Photo: VINO

Our young professional Orlandette R. Crabbe, is currently one of two Assistant Principals at the Althea Scatliffe Primary School (ASPS), a position she holds since August 2011. As a past student, Mrs. Crabbe is proud to serve her alma mater and the community in which she was raised.

Before being appointed as Assistant Principal, she was a class teacher at ASPS for six years.

Our Young Professional is very passionate about what she does. She stated that being able to watch students reach the potential that they don’t even realise they possess is the motivation she needs to wake up every day and be thrilled about going to work.

In describing her job as assistant principal, Mrs. Crabbe explains that her role is to empower teachers to be the best teacher they can be, to propel students to limits they don’t know they can reach, and to encourage parenting that is supportive of academic success.

“My favourite part of the day is interacting with the children.”

Mrs. Crabbe attended the then BVI High School now Elmore Stoutt High School from 1989-1994 and then went on to Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida where she received her undergraduate in Pre-School, Pre-K and Primary Education in 2001. She obtained her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Special Education in 2003 from the Florida State University.

From a young age, Mrs. Crabbe has always wanted to be a teacher and although she was a bit doubtful of the profession, when she understood the economic limitations that being a teacher could have, she cannot see herself doing anything else. “A teacher is born. You can fight it but you cannot hide it.”

She stated that the motivation she received to be a teacher comes from the, “not good, but great” teachers that were in her life. She added that she had great experiences when she was once a student.

“I came up under teachers who were very caring and passionate about their jobs. Who not only taught me academics, but also to be civil minded and of good character.”

Mrs. Crabbe’s journey as a teacher began at the Enid Scatliffe Pre-Primary School from 1994-1997, straight out of High School.

When finished with her studies and returned home in 2003, she was then assigned to the Joyce Samuel Primary School, which was then called the Belle Vue Primary school.

She taught at the Belle Vue Primary for two years then got married to Dion Crabbe. She stated that upon marrying, her little family then relocated to Virginia in the United States of America.

While in Virginia, she continued her passion where she taught grade two at the Ingleside Elementary as the ‘inclusion teacher’, which means special needs students were included in her classroom along with a special education teacher.

In Virginia, she had the pleasure of working with a very energetic leader by the name of Vincent Darby who encouraged her to be a school administrator.

Speaking about her challenges, Mrs. Crabbe lists getting pregnant immediately after high school.

“I won’t call it a mistake because from the experience came my first born, but it was a challenge. It was difficult to face all the persons who I disappointed, but I did not let that experience deter me from my goals. In fact I used it as an even more important reason to pursue my dreams and to do so with vigour”.

Looking back on her life, our Young Professional said she has no regrets and uses all the challenges in her life as lessons learned.

“I have no regrets and I think that life is meant to be that way. I think everything that happens in life was destined by God."

Mrs. Crabbe is a proud mother of three children; K’Deja Crabbe-16 years, M’Khori Crabbe-6, M’Kenzii Crabbe-1 and is the 4th of seven children to her mother Ms. Jasmine Brewley.

Other than working, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, travelling and reading.

“I’m a very low key person. I am thankful to my mother and grandmother for my firm upbringing and for always encouraging me to do everything with all my might. My mother taught me that nothing happens by chance, everything is in the plan of God and in everything trust and believe in Him.”

In words of encouragement and wisdom to young Virgin Islanders, she said there is no short changing for hard work, determination and good attitude.

She encourages the youth to stay in school and to fight for their own future. “If you want it, believe you can get it. There is nothing or no one that can stop you, but you. You are your biggest obstacle and once you get out of your own way everything else becomes quite easy. Put God first, and everything else will fall into place."