The Tribune

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Kevica Kelly-Griffin promised she would take every opportunity to invest in herself and evolve.

As the receptionist at SeaStar Spa at the Grand Isle Resort and Residences on the island of Exuma, she realised she could not find a local massage therapist or esthetician to teach her the intricacies of the trades she was eager to learn.

As fate would have it, there was a Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) flyer circulating on social media, indicating online offerings in massage therapy and esthetics. It was a first for the island and Ms Kelly-Griffin immediately seized the moment.

“The government was even paying for tuition. I said, ‘This is it!’ What a blessing and an amazing opportunity for Bahamians to empower themselves. Something stirred up inside me and I made up my mind to change the game,” said Ms Kelly-Griffin.

She worked until 5pm and then took online classes between 6pm and 9pm.

“The first semester with Rochelle Scavella was a breeze. She was easy to talk to and made us feel welcome. I thought, ‘I can do this!’ but as we went into anatomy and physiology, I wanted to give up. I said, ‘Wow! This is not what I signed up for.’ The most challenging topic was the muscles, but I want to thank her for being so patient and kind. She made a difficult lesson become so painless,” said Ms Kelly-Griffin.

The biggest challenge of the programme came when Ms Kelly-Griffin had to complete her practicum in person. She made the decision to take a leave of absence from work and relocate to New Providence for those weeks.

“I had to make sacrifices, budget and take time out from work with no pay. Sometimes we have to get uncomfortable for a year or two to be comfortable for the rest of our lives,” she stated.

Ms Kelly-Griffin also gave kudos to her Massage Therapy instructors, Inga Northe and Aja Strachan, describing them as “Amazing!”

“It was like they were born to massage. They had passion and purpose for what they did. They and Head of Department, Dr. Donnalee Minnis had such an impact on me, I started to picture myself taking on that role one day,” recalled the 2023 graduate.

This purpose-driven wife and mother then enrolled into BTVI’s esthetics programme. By this time, she was back on Exuma and in three months was the lead therapist at the same spa she was once a receptionist. It was a surreal moment for the woman who kept pushing to make her dreams a reality.

“My esthetics instructor, Nadia Beneby, was passionate about her work. She and I had one-on-one meetings and on my busy days at work, she showed compassion and assisted me when needed,” said Ms Kelly-Griffin.

Ms Kelly-Griffin is now a tri-therapist with nail technology, massage therapy and esthetics under her belt. Having moved to Exuma eight years ago where she has roots, Ms. Kelly Griffin described island life as, “Sweet!” and hopes to one day own a mystical spa and wellness centre which distributes Bahamian-based products.

• “The BTVI Story” is a bi-weekly column which highlights the who, what and why of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), a tertiary institution where individuals ‘Discover the Possibilities’ related to various trades. The column is produced by BTVI’s Office of Public Relations.