➘ thenassauguardian.com The Nassau Guardian | Wednesday, November 2, 2016 | L5

EDUCATION

• Continued from page L1are a number of things thatcan be explored, but saidthe push as always has tostart at the government lev-el.

“It’s one thing to have adream, but the leaders haveto support the dream bytheir finances,” he said.

“I come home like fourtimes a year, and am sched-uled to meet with folks atthe [COB] in December, so Iam willing to meet withwhomever to analyze whatexactly is going on rightnow, and to lend my expert-ise and give advice as tohow given the current sta-tus, resources, personnel,what types of activities orexperiences can be createdso that the maximumamount of students can betouched.”

As he looks to give back,Dr. Moseley said educationmeans opportunity and aleveling of the playing fieldwherever you go in theworld.

“Education opens thedoor and gives you theright to sit at the table.When you open yourmouth to speak that’s whenfolks recognize you knowwhat you’re talking about.”

Dr. Moseley holds a Doc-torate in Educational Lead-ership from NortheasternUniversity; a Masters in Ed-ucation Administrationfrom the University ofRhode Island; and a Bache-lor of Science Degree in Bi-ology from the Universityof Nebraska Lincoln.

He credits his parentswith ensuring that he andhis siblings received thatall-important education.

“My parents did not go tocollege but they ensuredthat education was at theforefront, and educationwas the number one priori-ty. They pushed the factthat education was one ofthe most important thingsthat you need to have. Hisolder sister Dr. LovernMoseley-Belizaire holds aPhD in Psychology; hisyounger sister ChristinaMoseley-Rolle has a Masters

in Education; his youngerbrothers Johnathan RyanMoseley earned a Mastersin Computer Science andhis youngest brother Loren-zo Moseley recently gradu-ated with a Bachelors of Sci-ence in Automotive Engi-neering.

“If my parents did notpush [education] I don’tknow where I would be.Putting five kids throughhigh school is a lot, and soI’m a Bahamian abroadproud to stand on theshoulders of my parents,and Bahamian Giantsamong them Sir LyndenPindling [the country’s firstprime minister], Mr.Roberts, principal of myhigh school; my pastor Fa-ther Johnson at Holy SpiritAnglican Church; and Ms.Turnquest my favorite Sun-day school teacher.

“Growing up in The Ba-hamas in terms of my self-confidence and my self-es-teem, my pride — when Icame to this country [Unit-ed States] with all the issuesthat are here, it didn’tphase me one way or theother — I knew who I was. Iknew where I came fromand I knew what I was ableto do. And it really didn’tmatter about other peo-ple’s opinions or what theyhad to say or what theythought, because of where Igrew up. And I really attrib-ute it to where I grew upand how I grew up.”

With that background Dr.Moseley said he’s able to sitdown with students whoseparents immigrated fromcountries like Haiti, the Do-minican Republic,Nicaragua, or Liberia, andtell them to not waste theopportunity given to thembecause their parentsmoved to the U.S. to givethem a better opportunity,and that they should inturn help others. Dr. Mose-ley said he has the responsi-bility to do that.

Like most people in theirearly years he admits tohaving strayed from thestraight and narrow path,and not always living up to

the potential that was inhim, but he said his parentsnever let up on him.

“My parents were theones to say you’re not goingto squander and waste yourpotential until it kicked infor me later on in life. I stilldid what I needed to do toget the grades that I neededto get, but I did not live upto my potential, and I reallyneeded those role modelsin my life — my father inparticular. I thank him with

my life and I always hughim and say I’m so thankfulhe was so hard on me, be-cause if he hadn’t been Iwouldn’t be the man that Iam right now — no wayshape or form; my motheras well.”

Dr. Moseley likes tellingthe parents of his studentsof the investment his par-ents made in him that hebenefitted from, but whichhe said was really for theirgrandchildren.

“If my parents did not dowhat they did for me, Iwould not be able to pro-vide the life I’m able to pro-vide for my own kids. Theywould have gotten short-changed for my foolish-ness. I’m thankful to Godand my parents that theywould not give up. Theywould not allow us to bemediocre. They would notallow us to settle. They ex-pected more from us.”

He even recalls his dad

breaking having to go intothe bush to break off aswitch for him.

“I went to St. Anne’s untilseventh grade, and I re-member coming 24th inmath and there were only26 kids in the class. We gotinto the car and my oldersister who was always thehonor roll kid said, ‘Dadlook at my report card.’ Iwas sitting in the back seatbehind the driver’s side be-cause I really didn’t want tosit on the other side, andsaid Dad this is my reportcard. We were driving fromFox Hill and he stopped thecar, and went into the bushand broke of a branch, putit into the car, when we gothome he put the branchright by the kitchen. For meto go to my room I had topass the kitchen, and hesaid I’m waiting until nextterm.”

The next term youngRudy was first in math.

“He didn’t hit me withthe branch, but what thatshowed me was I’m not go-ing to allow you to fail, orallow you to mess up yourpotential because I knowwhat you’re capable of andfor that I’m eternally grate-ful.”

And he is now in a posi-tion where he can give backand wants to. Dr. Moseleysaid home is where hisheart is, he recognizes hehas something to offer andwants to help with the ef-fort.

“I really do feel that apart of my assignment isnot only to impact theschool where I’m impactingright now, or this region, orthis country. I have a re-sponsibility to my brothersand sisters in The Bahamasin particular as well. The Ba-hamian educator said hewants to do his part to as-sist the government andthe education ministry inhelping to create a genera-tion of Bahamian STEMachievers, problem solvers,success stories and rolemodels for future genera-tions.

Nursery rhymes come to lifeat The Children’s LibraryAnother novel idea, a

nursery rhyme pag-eant, was the order of

the day at The Children’s Li-brary over the mid-termbreak.

This fall program was toengage students with litera-cy, presenting lessons withamusement and innovation.Students were introduced tothe 1955 early edition of theOxford Nursery Rhyme Bookthat contains 800 nurseryrhymes and ditties — theheritage of oral tradition. Allwell-known rhymes are in-cluded in the publication aswell as many rare ones. Spe-cial sections are devoted tolullabies and dandlingrhymes, toe rhymes, catches,charms, traditional streetcries, riddle verses, nurserymaxims, and humorous bal-lads. The text is enlivened by600 illustrations, many ofthem 18th and 19-centurywoodcuts and engravings.

The characters in thebook’s pages were broughtto life by library members —little girls were fashioned asLittle Miss Muffet; boys pro-duced their shorts as TomTom, The Piper’s Son.

The little ladies literallyhad books on their mind asthey practiced proper gaitby placing a book on theirhead, while the boys sat still

with proper alignment inpracticing their posture.

Students engaged incrafts making the paperfans popular to the era. Theycreated the writing instru-ment to practice their pen-manship with the quillsthey crafted. The gamesplayed were also popular tothe time.

The pageant selected mid-term princesses and princes,

recognizing each child’s val-ue.

On the little girls side,Kaleigh Walker was thenightingale princess; Madi-son Carey, the princess thatyou would risk all to rescue;Breanna Murray, the peo-ple’s princess; Zamira, theprincess with the glow; lKhyla Smith, the princess ofdeep thoughts; Jaden, theprincess of nice; Bella Rose,

the princess with starlit eyesand the deepest smile;Cianne Cartwright, theprincess of sweet; SummerBain, the princess of hearts;D’Shardonnay Weir, theprincess of fashion; SchulyerKelly, the princess of good-ness.

The little guys showed Di-nari Lloyd, prince of knowl-edge, Aaorn, prince of ad-venture, Jarred, prince offun and Denzil, the prince ofbattle.

RUDOLPH | Moseley: Education... gives you the right to sit at the table

Dr. Rudolph Moseley Jr. listens as his elementary school students explain their work fromtheir first “I am an Engineer STEAM Racer” project.

During the mid-term break students at The Children’s Library brought to life charactersfrom the 1955 early edition of the Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book that contains 800 nurseryrhymes and ditties — the heritage of oral tradition. PHOTOS: THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY