APRIL'S GIRL ON FIRE.......NIJOLE YOUNG

At age seven a teacher told this young lady’s mother she would not amount to anything, and at age seven that became the defining moment in her life, this young lady made a conscious decision then to prove that teacher wrong and to make her mother proud. Greatness is not a gift that is bestowed on a specific group of people, it is work, it is sleepless nights studying, sacrificing personal time, it is discipline and drive.

This remarkable young woman has proven that for everyone success is attainable but it is not without failure and obstacles that we arrive at this place, it is with strength and tenacity, the will to believe that you will achieve. She embodies all this and so much more. I will let her tell you her story in her own words but I want to say that this Girl on Fire is particularly for all my teenage viewers who are attending high school and university.

The difference between being good and being great is your devotion and dedication to whatever you do. I am super excited and very fired up to introduce April’s Girl On Fire, Ms. Nijole Young, a model student, a wonderful soul, and a truly exemplary woman!!!!!!! May her journey captivate you as it did me.

Our circumstances do not define us, it says nothing about where we are going or who we are, it can either be our excuse or our motivation which are you going to chose??

In her own words:

First to start off my name is Nijole Young. My first name Nijole is the Slavic form of the word Nicole and when translated it means victory of the people and I feel this truly embodies my resilient spirit and never give up attitude.

I’m a past student of St. Francis Infant and Primary School (1991-1998) and it was while there that I started on my journey of academic excellence. Incidentally, this all began when I was placed in Grade 2C by a teacher who told my mother that I wouldn’t amount to anything because she disliked me.  While in Grade 2C, under the guidance of a teacher named Mrs. McKay, I topped the class and I was placed in Grade 3A. Now looking back, I note this as one of the defining moments of my life because even though I was about age seven at the time and despite what my previous teacher had said, I knew that I wanted to make my mother proud and I also knew that I didn’t want anyone to ever say that I wouldn’t amount to anything to her ever again. After that I was always in the top 3 in my classes. I sat the last Common Entrance Exam in 1998 and I was awarded a place at the Convent of Mercy Academy ‘Alpha’ at age 11.

While at Alpha, I obtained 11 CXC subjects (ones and twos) and I was awarded a High School Diploma with Honours and the prize for CXC Physics at graduation. Apart from academics, I was actively involved in softball, swimming, Environmental Club, ISCF and cheerleading. I went to sixth form, where I obtained 1 CAPE and 2 A Level subjects. I was also the Vice President and then President for the Tourism Action Club and co-captain for Claver (yellow) house and a member of Key Club. I think of my days spent at Alpha as idyllic because not only was I able to enjoy my youthful days but I did so with a group of girls whose friendship I will forever be grateful for and so far this friendship has withstood the test of time and different continents.

I moved on to The University of the West Indies in 2005, initially wanting to do Medicine but I instead fell in love with Chemistry. While at UWI, I was awarded with an Adelman Scholarship (2008), the Avinash Potluri Prize (for Best Performance in the course Animal Diversity 2005-2006) and the Pavelich/Honkan Prize (for Academic Achievement in Chemistry 2006-2007). I was also actively involved in extracurricular activities such as The Quality Leadership programme, The United Nations Club and The UWI Mona Chemical Society.  I graduated in 2009 with a double major in General and Applied Chemistry (Upper Second Class Honours). Also in that same year, I decided to pursue graduate studies (research based) in Bayer Process Chemistry, and I am now presently pursuing a Ph.D. (fingers crossedJ). I was awarded with a Graduate Studies Scholarship in 2010 and for the academic year 2011-2012, I was the President of the UWI Mona Chemical Society. At present, I am Treasurer for the Chemistry Association of Post-Graduate Students (CAPS).

I credit the success I’ve had so far, to the love and support that I’ve always received from my family and friends.
In my spare time (which is far and in between these days) I love to read, do volunteer work and cook. I’m also very passionate about women’s rights and I consider myself a womanist or a supporter of the tenets of “womanism” at best.

I end with a quote by my favourite Chemist and these are words that I strive to live by in my daily life:

“Life is not easy for any of us....We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”

― Marie Curie