By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

FOR six years, seventeen-year-old Johnson Davilma lived in a home without electricity and running water.

His financial situation was exacerbated when his single mother became unemployed, leaving the teen barely able to afford bus fare.

Despite having to study in darkness, going many days without lunch money, and oftentimes having to suffer the humiliation of ironing his uniform at other people's homes, for the class of 2018, Johnson became head boy and valedictorian of Doris Johnson Senior High School, and salutatorian of the Northern New Providence Secondary School District.

During the first term of his senior year, Johnson made a 4.0 grade-point-average, a 3.89 in the final term, and a cumulative GPA of 3.76.

His dream is to study actuarial science and mathematics abroad, then return to The Bahamas and pursue a career as an actuary.

Johnson has been accepted into multiple American tertiary institutions, including Florida Memorial University, Fisk University, and Philander Smith College, and been offered partial scholarships to two of these schools.

However, in order to make his dream a reality, Johnson requires additional funding.

Unfortunately, his status as the child of Haitian immigrants means that he does not meet the criteria for receiving Bahamian government scholarships. And as a 17-year-old, he is a full year too young to apply for Bahamian citizenship.

In an interview with The Tribune, Johnson discussed the obstacles he has overcome and the peculiar type of struggle students face when they realise their hard work does not trump the circumstances of their birth.

Johnson was born in New Providence and raised in the Englerston constituency by an immigrant mother of Haitian descent. Johnson said from a young age he was teased for not being Bahamian -- a phenomenon that was "confusing" for him because The Bahamas is all he knows.

"It's kind of confusing actually because growing up here I've never left Nassau and the fact that I am considered a foreigner despite never leaving here is kind of baffling," he said.

By the end of primary school, Johnson began to experience more struggles due to his socio-economic status.

"While in the 6th grade, a series of events led to me and my family having to live without electricity or water," Johnson said.

"This lasted for about five to almost six years. This resulted in me having to complete homework assignments, projects and studying in the dark.

"We suffered great humiliation as a result of us having to iron for school at other people's houses and on the stove and me having to study late at people's houses oftentimes.

"Because we sometimes had to depend on the help of others, they would often use this against us."

However, Johnson's goal at the time was to excel in his BJC examinations. This strengthened him to "endure the mistreatments".

According to Johnson, he received seven As and one B in those exams.

Although he had been teased since primary school about his Haitian background, it was not until Johnson was about to enter senior high school that he realised his status would prevent him from receiving scholarships -- despite his academic achievements.

"While graduating the ninth grade, I was informed that I was denied scholarships as a result of my status.

"Therefore, I made it my goal that in senior high, I would try to be the best in everything and prove that status or circumstances (do) not determine success."

Struggle

He added that in addition to no electricity or water, his mother also became unemployed around this time. This made finances available to Johnson even tighter.

"This resulted in me spending the majority of my time in high school without lunch money, simply scrapping for only $2 so that I may catch the bus to and from school.

"Despite these circumstances and through the grace of God, I continued to work hard and was able to receive As in the both the English language and mathematics BGCSEs in the 11th grade, receive a 4.0 during my first term in the 12th grade and given the opportunity to be the head boy of Doris Johnson."

Johnson said that for the most part, he had an "excellent experience" in school, and received much encouragement and support.

However, he said there were still moments when his heritage made people view his achievements in a negative light.

"The only difficulty I had, the only discouraging part about it was some persons actually were offended of the idea of having a 'foreigner', as they would say, being the head of their school.

"There was actually an occasion (when I walked past a classroom) and a teacher was scolding the students for allowing a foreigner to come into their school and do better than them and to be the head of their school.

"It made me feel upset because I (worked) hard for it, so I don't see why me being a 'foreigner' would make somebody offended of the idea."

Johnson added that "it never ceased to baffle" him that he is considered a foreigner in the country in which he was born and which he has never left.

"Despite all of these obstacles, it's still one of my dreams to go to university in the upcoming fall semester with these partial scholarships that I have," he said.

He added that he is just hoping that he can find help -- even if it doesn't come from the government -- that will allow him to be able to pay off the remaining financial requirements for university.

Johnson also expressed the hope that the day will come when other students in his predicament will not face such barriers.