Survivor’s success

One teen’s inspiring journey to academic excellence

Anna* was 12 years old when she ran away from her mother’s home in St Catherine to stay with an aunt. She said her mother had subjected her to endless physical and mental abuse.

“I couldn’t take it any more, so I ran away,” she said.

Anna became a ward of the State a few months after running away from home, and it was while in a state-funded facility that the trajectory of her life changed.

She secured eight Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination passes, and another eight Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) subjects.

Now 19 years old, Anna is pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in psychology at The University of the West Indies, and hopes to become a criminal psychologist.

She was one of 63 wards of the State who was last Thursday rewarded for excellent performance at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency’s (CPFSA) annual Educational Achievement Awards. Christina Williams and Rianna Bryan were named the top awardees for CAPE passes.

Speaking at the awards ceremony held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew, Marsha Smith, state minister in the education ministry, commended the recipients for their commitment to pursuing academic excellence.

“The resilience that you have shown is encouragement and inspiration to your peers, and to us generally as a people. When I hear your stories and what you have been through and what you have done, I am inspired. Your achievements are the achievements of a nation, because you have made us all proud,” she said.

Due to the sensitive nature of her situation, Anna’s identity has been protected as this newspaper has been unable to obtain her mother’s response to the serious allegations. Anna recounted distressing experiences, including her mother’s harsh treatment and being sent to live with an unfamiliar man. Her mother’s hurtful remark, “When I look at you, all I see is a teenage pregnancy,” fuelled Anna’s determination to succeed.

“I can proudly say I have proven her wrong because at 19, I am still in my teens but have no plans for teen pregnancy,” Anna defiantly stated. “So, if you’re seeing this, mother, you were mistaken.”

* Name changed to protect identity.