From Pathways to promise

Fourteen-year-old Dontae Daley has defied the odds, moving from reading at grade-one level to becoming one of the top performers in his third-form class at New Forest High School – a transformation that educators say highlights the value of early intervention, parental support, and the Ministry of Education’s Pathway Programme.

Quiet and reserved by nature, Dontae entered high school reading far below his grade level. Through targeted literacy support and sustained encouragement, he has steadily rebuilt his academic confidence.

New Forest High Principal Arnaldo Allen said Dontae was never a problematic child, describing him instead as one who struggled quietly.

“He has always been very reserved and never got himself into trouble,” Allen said. “The challenge was really about bringing him out of his shell and helping him to re-master his academics. He was not a troubled child in the way people often assume,” Allen told The Gleaner.

Upon his transition from the primary department on the same campus at the Manchester-based school, diagnostic assessments revealed the extent of Dontae’s academic challenges. Allen explained that testing showed the student was reading at grade-one level, far below what is expected of incoming high school students.

“At least expected is grade five, but he was at grade one,” the principal said.

As a result, Dontae was placed in Pathway Two, which serves students who are still developing literacy independence.

Through the Ministry of Education’s Alternative Pathway to Secondary Education Programme, New Forest High received specialist reading coaches to work closely with students requiring targeted intervention. One such coach worked consistently with Dontae, focusing on improving his literacy skills.

“Once you can get a child to read, you can unlock just about everything else,” Allen said. “And that is what happened in his case.”

By the end of grade seven, Dontae’s dedication began to show tangible results. He recorded an average of 86.5 per cent, emerging as the top student in his class. This improvement earned him promotion to Pathway One, which allows students to function as independent learners.

“The programme allows movement,” Allen explained. “You are not stuck in a pathway. As soon as you are ready, you move.”

Despite moving from a smaller class of 18 students into a larger class of 30, Dontae continued to excel academically. At the end of grade eight, he recorded an average of 79.5 per cent and once again topped his class.

“He was not just the top boy; he was the top student in that class,” Allen said.

Now in grade nine, first-term assessments indicate that Dontae is reading at the grade-seven level, a milestone the principal described as “so exciting” for the school community.

UNWAVERING SUPPORT

Behind Dontae’s success has been the unwavering support of his mother, Tricia Carter, who has been employed as a security guard at New Forest High since 2020. Carter recalled the emotional strain of realising her son was struggling academically, admitting that the experience was deeply distressing.

“I was very depressed,” she said. “I knew he had the capability, so I prayed a lot and sought help.”

As a single mother facing financial challenges, Carter said balancing work with supporting her son’s education was not easy, but she remained determined.

“It was hard, especially financially,” she said. “But I had to work and still make sure he was okay, because everything depended on me.”

Carter said she began to see noticeable improvements once Dontae received consistent support from teachers and school administrators. She added that his desire to make her proud became a major source of motivation.

“He always tells me he wants to make me proud,” she said. “So he disciplined himself and worked harder to achieve his goals.”

Although Dontae occasionally faced teasing from peers, Carter said she encouraged him to remain focused.

“They used to tease him and call him a nerd,” she told The Gleaner. “I told him not to pay them any mind, because he was the leading boy in his class.”

She credited information technology teacher Leonae Williams for consistently checking on her son and offering encouragement, and also pointed to the influence of school chairman and neighbour, Trisha Williams-Singh, whom Dontae described as one of his greatest motivators.

Reflecting on his journey, Dontae said he made a conscious decision in grade seven to work harder.

“I decided to try harder,” he said, crediting his mother and teachers as his main sources of support.

Asked how he feels about his academic improvement, he said simply, “I feel great.”

Now more confident in himself, Dontae said he enjoys better relationships with his classmates and has clear ambitions for the future. He hopes to become an electrical engineer, and encourages other students who may be struggling not to give up.

“There are clear days ahead, even when the journey is rough,” he said.

Allen said Dontae’s story reflects a broader lesson about education and opportunity.

“Learning has no end point,” he said. “We must never give up on a child. Those who are already doing well are not the ones who need the most attention. We must give hope to the hopeless and reach the unreachable.”

antoine.lodge@gleanerjm.com