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Former Basseterre High School student Dr. Sheila Liburd credits her teacher’s firm guidance, detailed corrections and belief in her potential for shaping her into a published author and confident public speaker

By Sheila Liburd
Times Caribbean
August 3, 2026

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — There was no birthday, national observance or formal ceremony behind the tribute. Just gratitude.

In the early hours of Monday, August 3, 2026, Dr. Sheila Liburd woke with one name firmly on her mind: Mrs. Delcia Bradley-King, the former Basseterre High School teacher whom she credits with helping to shape her writing, public speaking and approach to life.

For Dr. Liburd, the tribute was about giving flowers while an influential teacher is still here to receive them.

“When my mother was alive, she always said, ‘One thing about Sheila, she does not have to wait until I am gone to give me flowers. She gives them while I am still here to smell them,’” she recalled.

That lesson has remained with her.

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE WORDS

Dr. Liburd said that whenever she writes a book, prepares a speech, creates a social media post or simply types a message, she remembers the teacher who taught her that words must be handled with care.

Mrs. Bradley-King was more than an English teacher. She became a lasting influence and, over time, a sister in faith.

“She is not just my former teacher. She is my sister in Christ. And she is the reason my words have wings,” Dr. Liburd said.

The lessons began inside a classroom at Basseterre High School, where creative writing offered Dr. Liburd an opportunity to explore her imagination.

She enjoyed the assignments. The corrections were another matter.

Her papers regularly returned covered in red ink, highlighting grammatical errors, unclear sentences and areas needing improvement. At the time, the detailed feedback was difficult to accept.

But the purpose eventually became clear.

“Mrs. Bradley-King was not trying to break me. She was forging me,” Dr. Liburd said. “Her detailed feedback taught me that precision is not punishment. It is power.”

Those corrections became the foundation for the clear and direct communication style she would later develop as an author, academic and public speaker.

“She taught me that words have weight, and grammar is the scale,” she added.

DEBATES THAT BUILT CONFIDENCE

Mrs. Bradley-King’s lessons extended beyond grammar and creative writing.

She challenged students to participate in debates involving controversial and uncomfortable arguments, including propositions such as “Education has done more harm than good” and “Slavery has done more good than bad.”

Dr. Liburd strongly disagreed with the positions she was assigned to defend. But the exercise forced her to examine unfamiliar perspectives, prepare strong arguments and anticipate opposing views.

It changed her.

“I learned to see the other side. I learned to anticipate attacks. I learned to articulate my truth with razor-sharp clarity,” she said.

Her team won both debates.

The victories were not based on personal agreement with the assigned positions. They came through preparation, reasoning and the ability to communicate an argument convincingly.

That experience helped strengthen Dr. Liburd’s confidence and deepened her passion for public speaking.

RESILIENCE FORGED THROUGH CORRECTION

Dr. Liburd acknowledged that her grammar was still not perfect by the end of the school year. But she had gained something even more valuable.

She had learned how to think creatively, solve problems and persevere through difficulty.

Mrs. Bradley-King’s high standards were not barriers intended to discourage students. They were challenges designed to help them grow.

“She taught me that hard work is not a punishment but a privilege,” Dr. Liburd said. “She taught me that a mistake is just a stepping stone to mastery.”

The red markings that once caused disappointment eventually became symbols of discipline, resilience and progress.

Those lessons continued far beyond the classroom.

A LEGACY THAT REMAINS ALIVE

Dr. Liburd described Mrs. Bradley-King, Mr. Blake and Mrs. Nathaniel as three of the most significant figures in her educational journey.

Together, they nurtured her love of learning and encouraged her personal and academic development.

“Their legacy is not a memory. It is a living, breathing force inside me,” she said.

In July 2017, while travelling from her graduation at Northcentral University in Arizona, where she received a PhD in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Dr. Liburd made a personal promise.

She vowed to recognise the people who had made a meaningful difference in her life.

She later wrote about several of them in her book, Inspired to Rise, which was prepared for the Basseterre High School Class of 1983–1984 reunion.

In 2026, however, she decided to make those tributes more public.

“I decided to let the entire world know while we still have breath,” she explained.

FLOWERS WHILE SHE CAN RECEIVE THEM

Dr. Liburd’s message is also an appeal to others.

She believes teachers, mentors and community figures should not have to wait for retirement ceremonies, national holidays or memorial announcements before hearing how deeply they have influenced someone’s life.

Mrs. Bradley-King, she said, deserves to know now.

“She does not have to wait for a tombstone to get her flowers. She gets them now that she is alive and breathing,” Dr. Liburd declared.

She also encouraged students who may feel discouraged by corrections to recognise that a demanding teacher may be preparing them for opportunities they cannot yet see.

“To every student who ever felt discouraged by a red pen, and to every teacher who wonders if their work matters, listen closely,” she said.

“Mrs. Delcia Bradley-King is one of the main reasons I write. She is one of the main reasons I speak boldly. She is one of the main reasons I do not fear a challenge.”

According to Dr. Liburd, Mrs. Bradley-King helped transform a student who struggled with grammar into a published author and helped a shy young woman develop into a successful debater and confident speaker.

“She took confusion and gave it clarity. She took potential and made it undeniable,” she said.

AN INFLUENCE THAT NEVER FADES

For Dr. Liburd, the influence of Mrs. Bradley-King is permanent.

“I will never stop writing because she never stopped correcting. I will never stop speaking because she never stopped pushing. I will never stop growing because she never stopped believing,” she said.

Her final message was simple but deeply personal.

“Mrs. Delcia Bradley-King is my teacher. She is my sister. She is my inspiration.”

Dr. Liburd is now inviting former students, colleagues and members of the wider community to join her in thanking Mrs. Bradley-King for a lifetime of service and impact.

“This is your flower,” she said. “And it is blooming for the whole world to see.”