‘Never throw your towel in’

HE STOOD in the principal’s office and begged for just one more chance to prove that he could change from being a troublemaker and do right by them and himself.

Not squandering the opportunity and subsequently overcoming the many hurdles in his way, 11-year-old Donfarrel Lawrence is now advising his peers to stay focused on their work after having proved his own naysayers wrong by excelling in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination.

Lawrence, who resides in Flankers, St James, got high praises from his principal and teachers at Corinaldi Avenue Primary School after his results were released, culminating in him being placed at Cornwall College for the upcoming September term.

Deon Stern-Anglin, principal of Corinaldi Avenue Primary, detailed how excited she was for the youngster after not giving up on him.

“One day after getting into trouble, this time it was final. Him mother was going to carry him to Family Court. He came right here in my office and he didn’t know that touched me. He stood beside me and said: ‘Miss, please, mi a beg you one more chance’. He never came back to the office from that day.”

She added: “When I take the paper and see the Cornwall College, I said, ‘Oh, my God man, these children just need someone to vouch for them and just encourage them’. Today I feel great.”

Speaking to The Gleaner about how he overcame his challenges, Lawrence, who aspires to become a doctor, recommended that his peers should stay firm in achieving excellence.

“Don’t be stressed, try to feel calm and always find new strategies in helping yourself because there is no one way to life. You will always find a way to get around, you just have to search for it,” the optimistic Lawrence said.

“Never throw your towel in, always get up and always stay firm when you are going to fall,” he added.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the 11-year-old, as he admitted that he frequently gave trouble in school by fighting, stealing and lying.

When he found that he had been placed at Cornwall College, the youngster was emotional and overwhelmed.

IN SHOCK

“Everything mi did a do all this time, mi just finally come back and do something good for myself. Mi shock, siddung, medz and look [into] space,” Lawrence expressed.

“All the weight on my shoulders just drop, stress gone, all the problems and everything gone, mi just feel free and light again,” he sighed with relief as he explained.

Questioning whether his family and teachers were proud of him, as a way of reassurance his mother stretched across to hug and kiss him on his cheek.

He then took the time to thank all his teachers and parents who stood by his side, believed and never gave up on him.

As young Lawrence reflected on the good times he had with his late father who he was very close to, he believes today his father would be extremely proud of him being placed at Cornwall College.

“He was the best father ever. I could talk to him about anything, reason with him, he showed me to do things and told me to be independent,” Lawrence reflected.

“He always has my back, never a day I go without clothes, did not bathe, eat, sleep properly or being taken care of. He helped me with my homework, get my education going rapidly, teaching me stuff so that when I go to school I am always first step ahead of everybody so that I can say, best father ever,” he beamed.

Derron Buchanan, his mother, broke down in tears numerous times as she explained how overly proud she is after facing challenges getting her son on the right track.

“When I got the call from his teacher that he was placed at Cornwall College, I screamed out in the shop, everybody was looking at me,” the emotional Buchanan said.

Buchanan then added that she kept pushing her son in the right direction despite his frequent acts of misbehaviour.

“Over the years from talking to him, instead of him getting better he got worse. It got to the point where honestly, I decided to go to the Family Court to seek counselling. If that didn’t work, I would rather see him go to a centre rather than stay here and he might not make it, you know what I mean,” Buchanan explained.

The proud mother noted that parents should sometimes give a little tough love to their child or children and it will make them step up.

“A word to the other parents whose child is giving trouble, you just have to stand behind them and if you need help, reach out for help,” she said.

ashley.anguin@gleanerjm.com