Dr. Green at Carron Hall Primary, in eastern Jamaica, inspecting the roof and structure of a potential Reading Owls library space.
It is very easy to become interested, and then active, in an organization when you find that its interests and goals are closely aligned with your own. At least that is what Dr. Earl Green discovered after discussing Reading Owls International with its founders. He agreed to help in whatever way was needed and that almost blind assent has seen his role expand year after year.
Reading Owls, as Earl understands it, is on a mission to provide access to education for disadvantaged students who would otherwise be denied what he himself has benefited from. Earl describes himself, half jokingly, as “a humble youngster from the bowels of the parish of St Mary in eastern Jamaica.” He says that he was afforded the opportunity to attend schools from kindergarten to graduate school through programs largely funded by the taxpayers of Jamaica, and is cognizant of the fact that this is a privilege accorded to the very lucky few. He feels deeply that he has a duty to extend himself to make the opportunities that he received available to as many children as he can.
A mechanical engineer by training, Dr. Green is an Associate Professor at the University of Technology in Kingston, Jamaica. He also provides consultancy services to diverse organizations such as the Government of Jamaica, The European Union and various private entities, yet he makes the time, and is always on call for Reading Owls, especially in his principal roles as advisor, site inspector, and project manager. Earl has been asked to inspect, assess and determine the viability of projects, the integrity of buildings, as well as the scope of work that will be required to bring a Reading Owls library into being. He reflects with some wonder on the communities he has visited for the foundation. Most recently he was in deep rural St Ann in northern Jamaica, in the village of Aboukir, a place he had no idea existed before Reading Owls' call.
For Earl, “The ribbon cutting ceremonies at the opening of these libraries puts things into perspective. It is so amazing to see that at every single school, the end product is the dramatic improvement of the population.” He added, "it is not merely the tangible, measurable increase of statistics that astounds me, but that, all of the stakeholders, including the teachers and parents, are exposed to the global standard, which requires them, in immeasurable ways, to adjust to change and be more prepared for success.”
Dr. Green is honored to be a part of the Reading Owls family, a group he describes as noble contributors to a better society. He feels so grateful for the opportunity to lend his time and skills to aid in satisfying a need in such a critical area in his beloved country.