Inner-City Student Heeds Advice and Wins Top Business Award at Jose Marti Technical High School

Heeding the advice from his teachers not to quit school due to financial difficulties has paid off for Carlos Evans, as he has won the Top Business Student award at the José Martí Technical High School, in St. Catherine.

The student, who hails from a Corporate Area inner-city community, lost his father in a tragic incident and had to rely on his mother, who is occasionally employed.

With counselling provided by the teachers and support from the institution’s past students’ association, Carlos was inspired to give of his best in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, which resulted in him copping the prestigious Rohan Silvera Business Award, sponsored by Torpedo Loan Foundation.

Among the prizes that go with the award are money, trophies and an internship at a business entity.

In an interview with JIS News, Carlos said he was “very elated, because I never really expected so many awards. I thank God for everything”.

Looking back at the time when he wanted to leave high school and search for a job, due to financial constraints, he said his teachers provided guidance and were always there for him, for which he is thankful.

He said that during the difficult period, his mother kept telling him that he must persevere and stay in school.

“Be punctual, be early for everything, and be ready for school. That is the task ahead,” he recalled his mother telling him.

“Thank you Mommy. The advice, the financial help that you have given me, I am very thankful for everything that you have given me,” he said, after collecting his prizes at the school, recently.

Coordinator of the José Martí Alumni Association New York Inc. (JMAANY) students support programme, and teacher at the school, Kesha Ford-Walker, told JIS News that at a point in Carlos’ life, she was moved to ask some questions and he opened to her.

“He has come a far way from his community, the various challenges that he has encountered, and I am not going to tell you that his challenges are greater than any other child, but his challenges are great. He lost his father early. He oftentimes is at a disadvantage financially and the struggles are real for him. But when he is here, we make sure that he feels welcome and that he learns well,” she said.

Describing Carlos as a dedicated student who likes to get the best grade possible, she said that if he gets something incorrect, he always returns to his teachers to ascertain how he can find the correct answer.

“Importantly, he is a student who shares what he is going through,” Mrs. Ford-Walker told JIS News.

“He will come to me, and he will say to me this is what is happening to him. This is how I am doing and so I know what is happening with him,” she added, noting that the JMAANY programme helps with scholarships to encourage students to stay in school.

She underscored that Carlos is a disciplined student who craves for his educational development, and does not need much push to study.

“He wants good, and so we welcome such a child, and we welcome such characteristics from a child, and we help him,” the teacher said.

His mother, Patricia Gordon, while holding back tears, said she was overwhelmed and “full of joy to see him come out to this.”

“I worked so hard for him,” she said, adding that she was not surprised at her son’s success, as he always stays close to his books and heeds her advice not to “follow company.”

She also praised Mrs. Ford-Walker, the JMAANY group, other teachers at the high school, teachers at Carlos’ basic school and primary school, and all the other persons who have supported her son.

Ms. Gordon said she told her son to use the money he was won for his education, and to return to the school and assist other students in later years.

General Manager at Torpedo Loan, Taskieka Stevenson Allison, said the company’s sponsorship of the award is to celebrate the achievement of young people who are specialising in business, as they want to encourage persons to become “entrepreneurs, and builders of the nation.”

She said that Founder of the company, Rohan Silvera, is a past student of the school, and is active in the past students’ association.

“He is fully devoted in helping everybody moving forward in the business department,” Mrs. Stevenson Allison said.

The company also reimbursed 16 of the students who sat the CSEC examination, worth $300,000.

Director at the entity, Ronald Reid, told JIS News that they want to “see good things come out of inner-city communities, and we want to say, stay focused, you are devoted, and the universe is the limit.”

“It brings great joy to us at Torpedo Loan Foundation to be able to give back. The inner-city communities, persons tend to think that they are impoverished, but we are saying no. Yes, in terms of the amenities around you, but not impoverished in terms of the brain, and that is the greatest asset,” Mr. Reid said.