I just finished a one hour consultation for a Bahamian student. She is a young lady who was displaced by hurricane Dorian, but has returned to Abaco. She is well spoken and honest about her limitations and interests. She wants to return home. She wants to get her degree and return home to take care of Bahamians… to help her country.

Honestly, I have to scrape the bottom of my emotional barrel these days to find hope sometimes, but this young lady inspired me.

We often hear about the low grades in our standardized examinations. This young lady was unable to take her BJC in math because of #HurricaneDorian. Now she is trying to complete it a year and a half later. She understands the importance of the exam in our educational framework.

She recognized the impact that the hurricane, the trauma and displacement had on her and her grades. She recognized the mental health issues affecting our nation. She recognized and discussed the need to address those issues, eloquently. I am impressed.

She also acknowledged the brain drain that we experience in the Bahamas. Students go off to foreign universities and never return to the Bahamas; high achieving students, forward thinkers and individuals with exceptional ability. She is adamant that she will not be one of them.

As with all my student consults, she has homework:

  • find a journal article related to her interests online and search the primary author to find out what and where they studied
  • to see the requirements for the universities she may want to attend based on the studies of this author
  • to look for other universities with similar programs (where are they, what courses do they ask for?)
  • are there similar courses on www.coursera.org or another free online platform that she can take?

They were present throughout the online consultation and this may mean more than anything else in her success. As with all my student consults, her parents/guardians have homework.

  • check the school cost
  • compare the costs and prepare for the costs
  • what will travel and vacation visits look like?
  • will a new cold weather wardrobe be needed?

I have a little more hope each time I speak to a Bahamian student. Despite everything we have been through over these past two years, we have a future. They are bright.

You can message me here or on any of my social media outlets (@SciPerspective on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) for consultation rates and scheduling. See you in the future.