Ellonia Rochester-Grant - rooted in values
Published:Saturday | August 11, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer
DENBIGH, Clarendon:
MORE THAN 40 years after being crowned National Farm Queen, the 1969 winner was back at the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show on the other side of the stage as a judge in the 2012 competition.
Dr Ellonia Rochester-Grant, a patron and participant at the show over the weekend, was a far different person from the 26-year-old who journeyed from Top Hill, St Elizabeth, to Kingston decades ago. Now living in Miami with husband Ryan Grant - a nuclear engineer who shares her Jamaican roots - the Guy's Hill, St Catherine, native attended Dinthill Technical High School.
Retaining her good looks, charm, and pleasing personality, Rochester-Grant is also blessed with an incredible memory, as became evident throughout our interview. While she has gone on to much greater things - earning a doctorate in education - Rochester-Grant remains firmly rooted in the home values and agricultural training which set her on a path of achievement just after graduating from Bethlehem Teachers' College.
She told The Gleaner: "I was big in 4-H, being secretary, then club leader, and that's where I got most of my training, and that's why I like what they are doing now."
Describing herself as a shy country girl who was going to be sleeping over in Kingston only for the second time, she used the 4-H and college training to good advantage at the finals of the farm queen competition.
Willie Henry was then president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), and Rhema Watt was assigned to chaperone Ellonia Rochester for what was a memorable trip including a visit to the Bybrook Condensery, meeting with then Governor General Clifford Campbell, and attending various teas, lunches, and dinners. Among those helping to prepare the parish queens were the mother of 1963 Miss World Joan Crawford, and Carlene Wadells, Rochester-Grant recalled.
It was a lot to learn in a short time, but when it was over, the St Elizabeth native, had stepped up to the plate and conquered all, enjoying every minute of it.
"Oh Lord!" she exclaimed with a light-hearted laugh at the memory. "I was honoured. I think I worked hard for it and just enjoyed the ride."
While there were no mobile phones then Rochester-Grant's mother, who had accompanied her, got home with the news before her and upon her return, there were wild celebrations.
She remembered: "Everybody came congratulating me. I got congratulations from abroad, from all over the world - England, United States, Canada - and I still have those letters and telegrams, numerous telegrams. It was wonderful."
Cultural ambassador
In addition to the enjoyment, there was a lot to be learnt, and Rochester-Grant especially enjoyed the role of cultural ambassador during the 31-day prize trip which saw her visiting Canada and the United States. A guest of the United Cooperatives of Ontario, she visited Guelph University and "everybody was talking about Dr Lecky developing the Jamaica Hope". She also visited a division of Massey Ferguson, which today still specialises in heavy-duty farming equipment and has a picture of herself atop a tractor as proof.
Riveted in her mind is the visit to the Canadian National Exhibition, which was a major agricultural fair where the dairy queens from England and other countries were in attendance.
She recounted: "The first night, there were 18,000 people and I had to bring greetings from Jamaica.
It made me more self-confident and I am afraid of nothing. Because of that experience, if I need to do something and I need to talk to someone, I'm not afraid to introduce myself and say what I have to say."