ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD TAMMI PILGRIM stepped through the gates of Harrison College in 1994 and she knew her life would never be the same again. Wearing her green badge for Collymore House, she stood in the hall for welcome remarks by then headmaster Dr Robert Belgrave.
In Form 1:2 she sat at her desk and glanced around at the unfamiliar faces of her peers. Excitement bubbling, she thought back to the day she was making selections for secondary school and told her mother to put down only Harrison College.
“I never wanted to attend any other secondary school. My mum likes to recount the story of my Common Entrance selection,” Tammi recounts.
Fast forward to October 13, 2011, and Tammi is awaiting the final count of the votes for positions on the executive council of the Old Harrisonian Society (OHS).
The ballots are in and after a hard-fought battle that included a Facebook campaign, meet-and-greets, video links and other strategies which she says are “classified”, Tammi, attorney-at-law at Lex Caribbean, is the first woman appointed to the prestigious post of president (she was up against Montague Barrow, Dr Roland Clarke and Cecil Archer).
She initially held the post of junior vice-president and in getting the top pick she not only broke a 31-year-old tradition, but has also come to represent the veritable integration of women into Harrison College.
As Tammi tells it, she first really knew about the OHS when she went into sixth form. Her class was above the OHS Lounge in the Headmaster’s Lodge. Barrow, the OHS’ recently retired long-standing secretary, was a fixture in the lounge and, being a history student, Tammi would spend a lot of time there looking at the artifacts and historical photos.
There is also a Wall of Fame of influential and iconic Harrisonians and Barrow would explain the origin of some of the artifacts and also give informal lectures.
“I think that was the first time that I truly understood the legacy that I was a part of at Harrison College,” she stated proudly. “I also loved the atmosphere and ambience at HC. It is unparalleled.”
After A Levels there, Tammi completed her LLB with upper second class honours at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. At the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad where she obtained the Legal Education Certificate and was also on the Principal’s Roll of Honour, Tammi was awarded the Peterson Lambert Peterson & Co. Prize for the Best Performance In The Law Of Evidence And Forensic Medicine (2005).
She became an official member of the OHS after her return from Trinidad and, because of her field, the council turned to her with legal questions. She was elected to the council in 2008 as junior vice-president where she provided support for past president Adrian Randall. That position allowed her to see the challenges that the OHS faced “and still faces”.
She then made a bold move to run for president. Why?
“I wanted to reach out to people and encourage them to give back, to be proud of being a Harrisonian. As the junior VP, I was better able to gauge whether or not I wanted to lead the organisation and it helped me to decide whether or not I thought I was the best person for the job.
“In fact, Adrian had been encouraging me for a long time before I actually decided on running.”
But some were not so gung-ho about a woman president.
“I know of one or two people who without much justification, referred to me as ‘that woman’ – but I found it funny, to be honest.”
Tammi says she didn’t get as much resistance as support for what she brings to the table and the vision she has for the society.
“I found the entire experience and the responses to my campaign far more positive than negative. I have had numerous conversations with and emails from persons who thought that my work and the campaign were motivational and inspirational. Those are the things that I treasure and focus on. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.”
Tammi’s plans are to build an even bigger and better OHS that serves all of its members and the students and staff of Harrison College. She says she has the support of people who were never interested in or excited about the society but are now on board and ready to get things going.
“Our focus will be global and fresh. The OHS will be leading the way in defending the school against naysayers and continuing to build school spirit and pride. We will also be providing positive mentorship to our students.”
Tammi likes reading, travelling, jet skiing and sport shooting. So juggling work, OHS duties and a social life . . . how does she do it?
“It’s not easy sometimes. Some things or people tend to be less catered to than others at different times, but I always try to have inner balance. I couldn’t have done this without the support of my parents Earl and Sherril Pilgrim, family, friends and my campaign team.
“I admire Michelle Obama; I think that if she can get up, work out, spend time with her children and family, support her husband and carry out her duties as first lady, then I can certainly handle work, OHS duties and my social life,” she admitted candidly, also stating her admiration for her two grandmothers (Ruby and the late Elsie).
Would she run again, I asked.
“If the society needs me, I am always willing to serve.”
