A new day at Lyssons Centre of Excellence
Two special-needs children pass CSEC visual arts subject
A NEW day dawned in special education as the Lyssons Centre of Excellence in St Thomas is celebrating the passing grades of two of its students, following the recently released Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate results.
Seventeen-year-old Ziah Walters and sixteen-year-old Adima Burncock copped a grades one and two in visual arts respectively.
Speaking on their excellent performances, the two, who are reportedly intellectually challenged, admitted that they were very nervous going into the exam earlier this year.
“Mi feel like mi did a go dead, but sir cheer me up. Mi never feel like I was going to pass either, but my aunty tell me say I will pass,” shared Ziah, who credits his love for art and his talent to his brothers and teacher, Dwight Dawkins.
Adima, too, attributed her eventual confidence and passing grade to the support of her teacher.
“Him tell me to just focus on what me doing … pay attention, and I do it,” she said.
A proud Dawkins spoke highly of his students, sharing that he knew from the start that they both would have done well.
He, however, admitted that it wasn’t without challenges.
“There were times when we couldn’t find them. Them hide we, and we have to go the extra mile to find them… their homes, and so forth,” he said, though adding that giving up on his students never crossed his mind.
Sharing insight on the journey and how it began, Dawkins revealed that it was Ziah who approached him, expressing an interest in arts.
Adima though, he shared, wasn’t initially interested in the subject area but eventually developed a liking for it, later showing much dedication and working consistently to improve her craft.
“When schooling children with special needs, you have to allow them to develop confidence in themselves and in you as a teacher. And you have to be there like a shadow around them, watching, encouraging them always,” the teacher said.
SELFLESS CONTRIBUTIONS
Dawkins commended principal of the institution, Jacqueline Hendricks, for her undiluted support, sharing that it was her selfless contributions that fuelled the journey to good grades.
Expressing her excitement with the passes, Hendricks said, “It’s a new day in special education. These students are intellectually challenged, and so it took not just content, but our whole being to work with them.”
Hendricks shared that in addition to tutelage, much support was also needed in terms of providing lunch, taxi fare and other contributions, including out-of-pocket resources for art class.
“We knew that if given, and placed in, t he right environment they will be able to achieve, and so that is what we did. We decided to give them the opportunity to sit the exams; of course, I sponsored it, and it was a lot of work. It was sleepless nights for us, but it just goes to show that they can achieve if supported,” shared Hendricks, as tears of pride and joy welled in her eyes.
The principal, who also mothers an intellectually challenged son, expressed a passion for students with special needs and encouraged the wider society to lend support to like children wherever they can.
“It’s not any normal person who can do it, though. God must give you that inner drive, that peace and patience to work with them. I hope the ministry will act upon this and gazette our school,” she added.