WHEN Chelsea Clarke was recognised as one of Denbigh High School’s top-performing female students in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, she was elated. However, the joy was short-lived — quickly replaced by anxiety when she confronted the reality that academic excellence and hard work would not pay off the university tuition standing between her and her dreams.

Chelsea obtained eight grade ones and a grade three in CSEC. The 17-year-old also holds two distinctions in City and Guilds, one for mathematics at the grade three level and the other for customer service, with dreams of merging her two passions — business and finance and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — to enter her dream career.

One of five children for her mother Janet Wilson, who raises chickens to support her family, Chelsea shared that she was relying on support from her eldest brother who got an opportunity to work overseas, to fund her and her other brother’s education. However, he unfortunately passed away in 2020, leaving them with no other financial backing.

She shared that her other brother is now struggling at university, often having to choose between studying and money to support himself. Her other sibling, she said, has mental health challenges that put additional strain on family resources, and she wants an opportunity to change the financial standing of her family through the power of education.

“I’ve seen a lot of students have big dreams, and maybe some of them, the fact that they didn’t have financial support, they didn’t make it as big as I am. They have potential — top girl, top boy —
but there is no financing. Sometimes when they’re studying, they have to think about money, think about how you’re going to school tomorrow. Some of them have to think about so much that just makes them give up halfway and quit,” Chelsea told the Jamaica Observer, adamant that she does not want this to be her reality.

She said that when she was recognised as one of the top girls in her school for the Caribbean examinations, she was overwhelmed with emotions but knew that this was just one step in her journey.

“CSEC is just one of the first branches of life in order for you to move further, so if you don’t really have that financial support to go further, it kind of feels meaningless in a way…but I feel proud of it,” said the 17-year-old.

“I did not believe it until I actually got the award in my hand with my name on it…As a godly person, my family is a very godly family as well, you trust in God and have a little bit of hope, a little bit of faith, and you pray, so that kind of helped me achieve this,” she added.

Wilson said there were many sleepless nights that led to her daughter’s achievement, and she is happy that Chelsea has taken advantage of opportunities she never got. With nine siblings, Wilson said school was a luxury in her household. While she managed to take her children this far, she said financial constraints is a hindrance.

“One thing I tell her in life is that if I pass away, I know that I gave them that headpiece to push ahead and go on so they got something that they can work on. I always tell them [that] I never got enough because it was a lot of us, so I’m trying for all of you to get enough so that you can go ahead and you don’t have to work hard — because we had to work hard because [my mother] never had it,” said Wilson.

She shared that her experience and current reality emphasise the importance of education as a tool for growth.

“Education is one of the best tools. Once you have it in your head, there’s no one who can take it from you, so I always try to tell them to do their best,” she said, adding that with God at the front, she always believes everything else will follow.

Wilson said it was with this hope that her son decided to pursue higher education, but unfortunately, he struggles to make ends meet and she is not in a position to help. She shared that she does not want her daughter to face this reality.

“It would mean the world to me,” she told the Sunday Observer.

Chelsea shared that even as she struggles to secure her future, she tries not to dwell on her family’s situation but knows that without help, her dreams will fade.

“[My mother] always tells us not to think about money, just focus on our schooling, because in her years she had to think about money and couldn’t focus on her schooling. It also bothers her a lot to see my brother have to think about money and not have the time to focus on his schooling and his studies,” said Clarke.

“I have big dreams, big goals, I just need some support to make it to achieve these big dreams and these goals. It would mean a lot to me and my family,” she said.