President’s Medal winner to sponsor 2 needy students: Scholar gives back

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CAPE President's Medal winner (sciences) Teddy Mohammed Jnr wants to give back to TT by helping pupils less fortunate than himself, he told Newsday on December 5, minutes after his award was announced by the Ministry of Education.

He is currently studying medicine at the University of the West Indies, Mt Hope.

He vowed to help pupils at his Hillview College alma mater in accessing vision testing and eyeglasses and said he wished to help two needy pupils access learning resources.

Asked how he felt to get the news, Mohammed said, "Currently, I think I am still in a lot of shock.

"But I'm proud of myself.

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"I am proud of all the other scholarship winners. I think everyone who works that hard deserves their recognition and their accolades.

"For me, I just tried my best, I tried to be consistent. I still think it was unexpected, nonetheless.

"I think every scholarship winner who received the news today deserved it.

"They put in a lot of hard work and dedication and I'm extremely proud of myself and others."

Mohammed is the son of Teddy Mohammed, a bookstore owner and publisher.

Newsday asked what's next.

"In the short term, as I have been given this avenue, I have been conceptualising for a while – myself in partnership with Mohammed's Book Store Ltd – I would like to take this opportunity now to announce my commitment to now supporting the educational journey of one male and one female student from a school with access to limited academic resources.

"Under this initiative, I want to provide funding for their schooling from form one to five, and if they choose to go up to CAPE, then I will provide that as well."

Mohammed explained his charitable plans against the backdrop of himself never facing problems accessing resources.

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"But they do not have the resources necessary to fulfil their full academic potential. I think that is such a necessity, whether it is access to the internet, access to textbooks.

"Yes, I will give myself credit in that I utilised the resources I had available at my disposal, but that being said, some people do not have these resources to utilise.

"I have been conceptualising this for a while and now that I have been given this avenue, I want to use it and hopefully accelerate things. So for next year, I should have this initiative fully set up."

He also hoped to help pupils of Hillview College with their eyesight, as he profusely thanked the school for his success via the school's Edward Eye Foundation.

"This foundation will be able to provide comprehensive eye exams and also the procurement of glasses for students with a visual impairment. That is something I want to do in the short term."

Otherwise, Mohammed said he was focused on staying consistent in his medical studies.

Newsday asked what he credits for his success.

"Most definitely my family, who have been extremely supportive. My sister has been my rock.

"My father is an excellent role model. I saw how he has operated, always working hard, making sure we are provided for."

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He hailed his father as a self-made man whose example he cherished.

"And, of course, my mother.

"When I was younger, I never used to like to go to school. I used to dislike going to school.

"My mother, she is someone who worked with me throughout it all. She was there.

"She would read my textbook for me, making sure I was listening. She would read all the lines from my textbook, test me on it, making up her own test.

"I just had such a loving and caring support system– my family, my grandmother, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins."

Mohammed saluted his teachers, whom he said had created a school environment in which he was willing to learn and to make Hillview College proud.

"I am so happy I was blessed with this opportunity and I give thanks to God."

Newsday asked if he did any recreational activities to help maintain balance in his life during his CAPE studies.

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"I actually enjoy writing poems. I love cricket. I love football. However, cricket and football don't love me the same way," he quipped.

"I love playing sports with my friends but I was never all that good at it.

"During exams, I engaged in a lot of swimming because that helped me with my cardio and helped keep my mind free in all the intense pressure of exam season - take breaks in between and go and swim a few laps. "That helped me stay focused.

"I really enjoyed going out, going to parties with my friends, going to parties with my family. I enjoyed boasting a good social life to balance off the academic life.

"I think the social aspect of your life, together with mental health, is extremely pertinent. Academics are important, but your mental health is what should be closest to you. That is what you should prioritise.

"At the end of the day, you could have all the academics in the world but not be happy. Your happiness is extremely important.

"Yes, the world will be weighing on your shoulders but you have to find what makes you happy and what helps you find that balance.

"Work hard, work consistently, but always give yourself that balance and that time to make time for yourself. Do what you like to do."

Newsday asked if youngsters should see a future for themselves in TT in light of crime and economic uncertainty.

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Mohammed replied that he saw many opportunities existing in TT, saying how impressed he was with the local education system, which he said was imbibed with a culture of hard work.

"I hope for a future where we have everybody enjoying and being willing to stay. Personally, I think I want to stay. I love Trinidad. I love our culture. I love our system.

"I love our democracy. I love everything about Trinidad and the freedom we have in Trinidad.

"It is a beautiful island, full of vibrant culture, full of culture we could boast of to the entire world."

He reiterated that he sees a future for himself in TT.

"The friends I have spoken to who have gone internationally, they all miss Trinidad.

"Trinidad is such a beautiful island. It has so many different colours, so many different cultures that come and blend to create this melting pot – a melting pot of cultures, a callaloo.

"This is something that is so unique to us. It resonates in my identity and I am so proud to be a Trinidadian. I am so proud to say I want to stay in Trinidad.

"I am currently in the Faculty of Medical Sciences and I am willing to stay here for the rest of my journey as a medical doctor. I want to stay here because I enjoy Trinidad. I enjoy living here. I enjoy having my family and friends close and I don't want to have to experience that (foreign) culture shock."