It for Zantaye Thomas
completing my assignments in the car and during my break times. I absolutely would not have been able to overcome these challenges without God, my family’s support, and the support of others.”
Her family, she added, has always been delighted by her academic strides.
“It makes me emotional because I appreciate their sacrifices and want to make them proud. I definitely would not have been able to achieve all of this without their constant encouragement, prayers and helping hands.”
Like many students, Thomas told the Sunday Observer that it was very difficult during the pandemic to make adjustments in relation to school-based assessmenst (SBAS) and labs.
“For CSEC, though most of our labs were completed before the pandemic, we still had to find a way to complete the remaining ones given the restrictions and protocols regarding gathering at school. It was also a challenge sometimes communicating with group members for SBAS given the technological difficulties. Fortunately, my school was able to be proactive and made this transition period less difficult for us students,” she related.
Thomas is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in integrated marketing communications with a double minor in French and Spanish at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, where she also boards.
She said she plans “to work within the marketing and communication department of companies, as well as become a Jamaican sign language interpreter and a French or Spanish interpreter and translator”.
She also hopes to continue to do advocacy work and contribute to the deaf community through Sign Clubs of Jamaica, which she founded. There is also an ongoing fund-raiser in association with Jamaica Association for the Deaf to raise $100,000 to sponsor deaf students.
But right now, academically, it is all about striking a balance.
“My plans, now that I am in university, is to not only graduate with honours, but to also become involved on campus in order to achieve personal growth. As a first-year student I challenged myself to apply for positions that I am passionate about and to continue to successfully balance school and extra-curriculars.
“I am humbled to say that I am the integrated marketing communication representative on the CARIMAC Guild Subcommittee, the director of marketing and communication on the Faculty of Humanities and Education’s External Affairs Committee, and the deputy external affairs chairperson for the Tower of Olympus (The Elsa Leo Rhynie Hall).”