By Simone Morgan-Lindo – STAR Writer—
Aleena Brown—
Aleena Brown, who at one point slept on the floor with her mother and siblings, has risen like a phoenix, having been accepted at the prestigious Princeton University in New Jersey, USA.
Brown, 19, of Main Street, Bog Walk, St Catherine, is among a handful of applicants who have been accepted by the Ivy League university. She will be pursuing studies in biological science, and plans on becoming an expert in infectious disease like Dr Anthony Fauci, the famous immunologist who serves as the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“Within and beyond my community, I hope to motivate students like me to thrive despite their circumstances and dare to dream. I want to inspire my new peers to emulate selflessness and be ambassadors of global change through civic engagement. Career-wise, I wish to enter the field of pathology and continue my pursuit of knowledge by researching and making innovative solutions to fight infectious diseases,” said the Campion College past student.
Among her biggest influences is her mother, Collette Davis, who she said never shirked from her responsibilities as she struggled immensely to raise her family.
“My mother didn’t really have a house and she struggled to keep my siblings and I with her, because at a point in time, the authorities wanted to place us in a children’s home because she didn’t have anywhere to keep us. She went to Food For The Poor (FFTP) and got a house right by the train line. There wasn’t any other property to give us and they really didn’t want to give us because it wasn’t a safe spot but my mother asked and she got it,” Aleena said. The family soon relocated from that house in Bog Walk to an abandoned dwelling in the community.
IT WAS NERVE-WRACKING
“It was nerve-wracking especially for my brother because he had an open heart surgery and the noise and vibration would affect him a lot. Mommy had to move again and the house that she found was really broken down, but she was really appreciative of it and the owner gave her permission to live there and that is where we reside today,” the teenager said.
Aleena said their house was in a deplorable condition with a roof that leaked severely whenever it rained. It was at that dwelling that the family upgraded to sleeping on a bed after someone donated a second-hand mattress.
“When we got the house, my mother said there were lots of mongoose, bats and so on living there. Community members assisted her in getting rid of the tree roots that were growing inside,” she said.
Despite the numerous challenges, Brown, who received PATH benefits, excelled academically, and was one of two students from Ewarton Primary who gained a spot at Campion College due to her performance in the Grade Six Achievement Test.
FFTP assisted with book grants, transportation costs, and personal care and miscellaneous items. The organization also provided a laptop, printer and computer desk, all of which undoubtedly helped the gifted teenager.
Aleena repaid the investment in her by copping 18 Caribbean Examination Council-administered subjects, 16 of them with distinctions. Her mother is super proud of her achievements.
“I am very happy and excited but not surprised because she has always been a brilliant child from she was going to basic school. Aleena is a praying child, that was something I taught her and the rest of my other children. Even if they don’t pray, I am always praying for my children,” she said.
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