GoodHeart |Lysandra Taylor sets the pace for excellence

At 17, Lysandra Taylor has already distinguished herself as a student-athlete, leader, performer and scholar. The Papine High School graduate balanced academics with netball, volleyball, acting and several clubs before culminating her fifth-form journey as the school’s 2026 valedictorian.

Supporting her journey since 2023 has been the Pocket Rocket Foundation Scholarship Programme, founded by Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to provide financial, educational and developmental support to Jamaican student-athletes. Through assistance with school expenses and sporting needs, the programme has helped Taylor pursue her academic and athletic goals while easing the financial pressure on her family.

Taylor applied for the scholarship to help ease the financial pressure on her family while continuing her education and athletic development.

“Having help with school expenses and sports equipment has taken a huge weight off my mother’s shoulders,” she shared. “The programme has also motivated me to dream bigger and aim even higher.”

Throughout high school, Taylor consistently placed among the top students in her class. By Grade 10, she had already passed Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) mathematics and English and, in Grade 11, she sat an additional eight CSEC subjects. She also received awards for academic excellence, leadership, theatre arts, and physical education.

Being selected as valedictorian, she explained, affirmed the years of effort behind those accomplishments.

“There were moments when I felt overwhelmed and questioned whether I was doing enough,” she recalled. “Being named valedictorian reminded me that the hard work, consistency, determination, prayer, faith and perseverance were all worth it.”

Taylor also represented Papine High in netball and volleyball. She said her coach, Mrs Reid-Goodwin, emphasised that academics must come first, and required players to maintain their grades before being allowed to travel with the team. For Taylor, that expectation became another source of motivation.

“Time management is the key. I make sure my schoolwork comes first, stay organised, and prioritise my responsibilities,” she said.

Beyond academics and sport, the 17-year-old served as Key Club president and participated in chess and Red Cross. She earned a City & Guilds Employability Skills certificate and won the Kingston and St Andrew regional Optimist International Caribbean District Speech Competition at levels one and two. She was also a lead actress in both instalments of the church production Between 2 Worlds.

Behind her accomplishments is her mother, Sherene Reid, who Taylor describes as her greatest supporter.

“She has made countless sacrifices for my younger brother and me,” she shared, adding, “Her strength, love and determination inspire me every day, and I work hard to make her proud.”

Now preparing to enter sixth form, Taylor hopes to maintain excellent grades, grow as an athlete, and pursue further leadership opportunities. She is interested in becoming a cardiologist, although her love for sport and teaching has also led her to consider a career in physical education.

To other student-athletes considering the Pocket Rocket Foundation Scholarship, she offers simple advice: “Apply with confidence. The scholarship is more than financial support; it is an opportunity to grow, learn and become part of a family that genuinely wants to see you succeed.”

goodheart@gleanerjm.com