GoFundMe: Young scholar seeks help to continue his education in Florida

Freshman Damion Drackett is in a desperate race to get his studies at the Saint Leo University, Florida, back on track, where he continues to blaze a trail of academic excellence, started at the Wolmer’s High School for Boys in St Andrew, Jamaica.

The eldest of four children for Sandy Lawrence, the youngster is a source of pride for his mother and the entire family for his willingness to press on, despite the many financial challenges faced in his young life already. Sandy recalls that even when she did not have money for lunch and suggested that he stay home, her son would insist that she gives him bus fare and head off to classes, without anything to eat for the entire day.

Now he is on course to realise his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon, after graduating with eight grade one passes in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate – biology, chemistry, physics, English, mathematics, advanced mathematics, Spanish and literature examinations. For the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination, he took the following subjects in units one and two – biology, chemistry, Spanish, Caribbean studies and communication studies, which he aced in 2020.

However, no one was surprised at his achievements since Damion, who was a prefect in fifth form and deputy head boy in sixth form, had been focused on his studies since first form, receiving Blue Report Awards all the way up to sixth form. The award is presented to students who received eight or more A’s and an average of at least 85 per cent. In addition, he won the John Wolmer Award (founder of the school) on three occasions.

Between his studies, Damion found time to also serve as co-founder/secretary of the Film and Camera Club, was a member of the Peer Counselling Club, and was a Child Ambassador for the Office of the Children’s Registry – representing the parishes of St Catherine and Clarendon.

SCHOLARSHIP

Now Damion is in a financial bind, facing deregistration after a scholarship he was promised did not materialise, and so the frustrated teenager is worried that his family’s hopes and aspirations will be dashed, as he will have to discontinue his studies by the end of the month. It is for this reason that he has started a GoFundMe account to raise the US$10,000 in school fees for the next term of his bachelor’s degree in biomedical and health sciences.

In reaching out to The Gleaner, he wrote: “Saint Leo University has created a great platform for me to be my best self, academically and in extracurricular areas. The cost of attendance is US$38,000 but I was offered a scholarship of US$16,000 from the university, with a remainder of US$22,000 to be paid. I got an additional US$14,000 and now I have US$8,000 left.”

“Due to my inability to cover the remainder of my fees, it is hindering my opportunities of getting the positions that I was offered and may cause me not to be able to register for classes.”

Since joining the Saint Leo campus last year, the Jamaican teen has hit the ground running and is a member of the executive board of the Caribbean Students’ Association, a member of the Lead Scholars Program and marketing director of the campus radio network. In March, he was hailed as student role model and offered the post of resident assistant in charge of housing floors, as well as joining the Campus Activity Board, which is tasked with planning student activities throughout the year.

To help Damion achieve his dream of taking his place among the world’s top neurosurgeons, you may contact him at damdrackett@gmail.com, 876-828-2474, his mother at 876-595-4110 or support his GoFund Me account.