GoodHeart | Big dreams, strong support for Jazmyne Wilkinson

When 13-year-old Jazmyne Wilkinson stood among the newest Pocket Rocket Foundation scholars at the foundation’s annual scholarship awards at the school hall of Wolmer’s High School for Girls in Kingston, she brought with her an impressive list of accomplishments.

The Grade-8 Manning’s School student is on the principal’s honour roll, competes in swimming and gymnastics, hopes to add track and field to that list, and is active in the school’s debate society, Cadet and Interschool Christian Fellowship, where she serves as a lower school public relations officer.

But behind the grades, sports and extracurricular activities, there is another story, one familiar to many families raising talented young athletes.

“People see the uniform, but they don’t see the cost,” Wilkinson said. For her family, keeping her active in both school and sport has meant finding money for much more than tuition and textbooks. There are uniforms, transportation, training gear, proper shoes, swimwear, competition entry fees, healthy meals and extra lessons. Individually, they might seem manageable, but together they can place significant pressure on a household.

Wilkinson explained that her parents have repeatedly put their own needs aside to ensure she does not have to choose between education and the activities helping to shape her.

“Money that could be used for other things at home has gone to school fees, books, uniforms, transportation and training gear,” she told GoodHeart, adding, “My parents work very hard to make sure I don’t miss school or training.”

That balancing act became even more difficult following hurricanes Beryl and Melissa. Wilkinson recalled periods when the pressure of meeting school expenses while continuing to finance her sporting activities left her wondering whether something would eventually have to give.

“At times I worried that I would have to stop doing the sports that I love or not be able to fully participate in my school activities,” she shared. “It was very complicated and a bit discouraging, but I continued to push, work harder, and do the best I could with what I had.”

That determination is evident in the pace of her everyday life. After school comes training. Then homework, studying, extracurricular responsibilities, and finding whatever time remains for rest and family. The student-athlete admitted that some days leave her exhausted and overwhelmed, but said the experience has forced her to become disciplined about how she uses her time.

Beyond sport, Jazmyne has developed interests in gardening, music, art and reading. She plays the piano, sings, enjoys cooking and hopes to learn tailoring. In the classroom, however, it’s her love of science and mathematics, combined with her connection to swimming and nature, that is shaping her biggest career goal of becoming a marine biologist.

Swimming in the sea has given her an appreciation for Jamaica’s marine environment, while gardening has fed a broader curiosity about nature. For Wilkinson, marine biology offers a way to bring those interests together and eventually contribute to protecting the country’s marine life.

It is the kind of future she is now able to pursue with one less worry. Being selected as a Pocket Rocket Foundation scholar, she said, means having additional support at a point when the financial demands of school and sport were weighing heavily on her family. She is looking forward to concentrating more on her studies and training without constantly worrying about what each opportunity might cost at home.

goodheart@gleanerjm.com