‘I’m determined to break the stigma’

FOR TWENTY-TWO-YEAROLD Denielle Morrison, a tertiary education isn’t just a catalyst for personal development, but an avenue to uplift her family and the small community of Wild Cane in St Ann, where she is from.

“I’m the first of three children to be at the university level, and it’s safe to say that just about seven of us from my community and the neighbouring community actually went to sixth form. Unfortunately, from that bunch, only two of us matriculated to [the] tertiary [level] ,” Morrison explained.

“It’s the norm to see a girl fresh out of school and pregnant, and I’m determined to break the stigma attached to my community,” she said.

A long-time lover of the teaching field, Morrison initially had no access to funds to further her studies after completing sixth form at the Edwin Allen High School.

A GO-GETTER

“My parents, especially my mother, were always supportive despite the challenges. But my father made it clear that I would have to join the police force because he didn’t have the means to fund my schooling,” Morrison noted.

The Miconian, who describes herself as a ‘go-getter’, explained how she laboured at her past school, Mount Mariah Primary, immediately after sixth form to accumulate funds to kick-start her teaching pursuit.

Now well into her studies at the Mico University College, Morrison was awarded the 2017-18 Arthur Grant Scholarship valued at $200,000.

The scholarship, which is named after a former lecturer and vice-principal at Mico, was awarded to Morrison on Tuesday, after which she declared:

“Sir Arthur Grant has given so much to education in its entirety. I’ll do my best to honour the name of the great man through contributing positively to the sector when my day comes.”

Through more than 25 donors from the alumni and corporate companies, Mico awarded 23 students scholarships worth a combined $4 million.