‘Help me, please’ - University student appeals for assistance to further education
Published:Sunday | October 18, 2020 | 12:14 AMBarbara Gayle - Contributor
Although 20-year-old Peter Vaughn does not know where his next tuition fee is coming from, he has taken a great leap of faith to enrol in the Northern Caribbean University for this semester.
Vaughn has been appealing for help from the time he was accepted this year to do a degree in Management Studies (marketing emphasis) but he said, so far, he has not received a favourable response.
“I just don’t want to drop out of school and so I am praying that someone, a company, an organisation or even the Ministry of Education will help me,” he pleaded.
Vaughn, who is from White Horses in St Thomas, shared, “One of my main reasons for trying so hard to get a degree is that I want a good-paying job to give my mother a good life and help my siblings.”
He is the ninth of 10 children for his mother, who he said journeys almost daily from St Thomas to Kingston to sell fruits to support her family.
“I grew up seeing my mother struggling and I just want to repay her for her love and hard work,” he explained.
The first member of his family to attend university, Vaughn’s dream is to work in the tourism sector.
He said one of his aunts made a great sacrifice and assisted him with the tuition for the first semester but she is unable to offer any more help.
Promising Student
Vaughn is a past student of Yallahs High School in St Thomas, where he was deputy head boy and passed nine Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects in one sitting. He was engaged in sports such as football and track and field, was a member of the Schools’ Challenge Quiz team and the social studies club.
He spent one year in sixth form at Morant Bay High School before entering university.
Vaughn, who has a passion to motivate others to be productive citizens and to be honest in their dealings, said his motto is ‘Work hard to achieve’.
Vaughn’s mentor, principal of Yallahs High School, Mark Malabver, can be contacted to know more about the young man and offer assistance.
Malabver spoke very highly of Vaughn, describing him as well-mannered, very humble, excellent student, proud, talented with a natural ability to do well.
“He is one of those young men who deserve a chance,” Malabver told The Sunday Gleaner.
“Vaughn actually sent himself to high school and came many days without lunch money. His clothes were always clean and nobody could actually know what was happening in his life. I found out when I sat with him one day and he levelled with me and told me what was happening.”
The principal recounted that Vaughn even told him that he would never forget what he said during devotions.
Malabver is also appealing for financial help for Vaughn, who he said has so far done very well and applied himself admirably.