State Minister in the Ministry of

Education, Youth and Information, Alando Terrelonge, is encouraging the

nation’s youth to follow their passion and to be prepared to put in the work

that is required to make it a reality.

“Preparation and passion; those are two

things that you must never forget. Have a passion for what you want to do in

life and make sure that you are prepared to do every single thing you need to

do to get to where you want to in life,” he said.

The state minister was speaking to students

attending the Go Higher Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown

Kingston, on Thursday (Oct. 31).

Terrelonge, in a rousing motivational talk

to the students, recalled his own journey in life, which saw him as a young

inner-city boy from Grants Pen in Kingston matriculating to Campion College for

secondary school and later to the University of West Indies, Mona, to pursue

law, before securing the prestigious Chevening Scholarship and interning in

Madrid, Spain.

“So, I was in Madrid for six months

working, learning Spanish, having the time of my life. It was amazing and it

all started out by having a passion for what I wanted to do and by always being

prepared to get to where I wanted to be in life,” he said.

“It really is that simple. It really is,

and so I want to encourage you all, there are vast opportunities that come

every single time you empower yourselves and education, my kings and queens, is

the best gift that you can give to yourself,” he told the students.

He noted that education is something that

no one will ever be able to take away from them.

“That is your future,” he said.

The junior minister further encouraged the

youth to be solutions-oriented and to be consistent in their resolve to

succeed.

The Go-Higher Conference, now is in its

second year, was organised by the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission

(J-TEC).

It brings students together in a forum

where they are empowered and provided with information about college

preparation, brand building, entrepreneurship, finances, accessing higher

education and other useful information.

Commissioner of the JTEC, Dr. Dameon Black,

encouraged the students to soak up as much information as they can and to use

it to make wise decisions.

“Knowledge is power but critically, how you use the information that you gain is even more powerful,” he said.

— JIS