Mark Beckford, Gleaner Writer
Garfield Grandison, The Gleaner's editor-in-chief,
yesterday presenting the Silver Pen award to Wayne Morgan. - Andrew Smith/Photography Editor
Fatherless, but not futureless, is the Silver Pen awardee for the month of June, Wayne Morgan, a 17-year-old student of the José Marti Technical High School in St. Catherine, Morgan's letter, 'Growing up Without a Father', won him the prize for the month. In the letter, Morgan recounts his painful experiences without a father, and the different struggles he had to encounter.
The letter, which took Morgan five days to pen and a few tears to shed, seeks to bring peace to his own situation while encouraging others to succeed. He said: "Growing up without a father made me feel left out, depressed at times. As a young man, growing up without a father is very hard because a male figure is very essential - and it has made it very difficult."
Encouragement
The letter has brought some redress to his situation, with Morgan receiving responses and encouragement.
"I have received letters from England and the United States, encouraging me to persevere and continue," said the José Marti Technical student.
He said that while he and his father do not share an ongoing relationship, he still wishes that he could. "My relationship with my father is not as strong, and the relationship I want with my father is one where we can talk on a one-on-one basis, he doesn't have to spend any money to achieve that."
This has not stopped him from pursuing his dreams, which is to become a part-time journalist and either a doctor or a lawyer. While those goals are long-term, in the near future he will be sitting eight subjects at CXC level next June.
