Whether Edwin Greenslade's parents, George and Patricia Greenslade (deceased) had to work overtime, or borrow money, they did what they had to do to ensure that their children received the best education they could afford for them.
Patricia, a science teacher, and George a banker who left school at age 14, but enrolled in night school to become an accountant, instilled in their children the importance of an education.

"Financially it wasn't the best, so whether they had to borrow money, or work overtime, [my parents] worked to ensure that we could get the best education," said Edwin, 17, a first-year civil engineering student at the College of The Bahamas (COB).

"An education is everything, especially in this day and age, even though you can still use your hands in terms of trade work, and a few years ago you just needed a high school education, then you needed an Associate's [degree] then a Bachelor's and a Master's and now you need your doctorate, so it's very important if you want to take care of yourself and your family and be successful".

Edwin was 14-years-old when his mother died at age 54. She had been the family's major breadwinner as his dad at the time was retired. Her death meant that Edwin might have had to leave St. John's College, the school he had attended since kindergarten, and enroll in another high school for the last three years of high school. But the young man who had been an honor roll student was approached by his guidance counselor who encouraged him to apply for the Tara Xavier Hepburn Foundation scholarship.

The scholarship is open to graduates of Government Junior Schools and students of St. John's College (SJC) and St. Anne's School (SAS) who had successfully completed ninth grade, and tenable at SJC and SAS and covers full tuition and the cost of books.

To be considered for a scholarship applicants have to be nominated by their school or be a member of the T.A.R.A. (Transforming, Affirming, Renewing and Assisting) Project, a youth organization for young people between the age of nine and 18 that exposes them to activities they would not normally be exposed to. Through the project, the youth are helped to understand that what they can conceive in their minds, that they can achieve, but that it takes commitment and focus. It was founded by Claire Hepburn in honor of her daughter, the late Tara Xavier Hepburn.

Applicants also have to attain at least a 3.00 grade point average (GPA), have demonstrated leadership ability, and or community involvement, be of good moral character and successfully pass a minimum of five Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) subjects including English and mathematics with grade "C" or better.

Edwin was nominated by his school and accepted into the program. That meant he was able to continue his final three years at the school he had attended since kindergarten.

At the time he received the scholarship he said he did not think about what it would do for him, but that he had to come to that realization that the scholarship was a blessing and would allow him to be a part of that institution's class of 2015.

"After losing my mother that wasn't the first thing that I was thinking about, but she was like the main breadwinner because my dad was physically unable to work at his age, and so I came to see the scholarship as a blessing, because the same year she died I received the scholarship and could finish my last three years at St. John's. I didn't want to leave and go to another school. I liked St. John's and how they taught there," he said.

The summer before he entered his final year in June 2014 his father died. While he lost both his parents before he had completed high school, Edwin kept the ideals his parents had instilled in him as far as an education uppermost in his mind. He was also thankful that his older brother, Patrick, had stepped forward in a parental role.

Edwin also attributed his faith in God to ensuring that he did not fall short of the ideals established by his parents and that he would not become a statistic like so many other young people.

"When things happen to them, most people see it as a bad thing and feel as is they're defeated, but I saw it as maybe God trying me -- especially losing both parents -- to lean on him, to have faith in him, and to see that I can't do everything on my own. So I would say it's by the grace of God that I'm not a statistic. I tried hard in school," he said.

Edwin sat nine Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exams. He passed eight with an "A" grade in language; three with "B" grades in math, religion and Spanish; and four "C" grades. He did not pass keyboarding. "I thought I got an 'A' to be honest, so I'm not sure what I did wrong," he said.

At SJC, Edwin was involved in the Student Christian Movement (SCM), recycling committee and Key Club. He was given the Archdeacon Keith Cartwright Award for Perseverance during the commencement ceremony. As he completes his first month as a college student, Edwin says life on COB's campus has been an adjustment for him and completely different from his life as a high school student.

"You can really be deceived into thinking you've arrived, because the teachers aren't necessarily behind you asking where's your work, where's your work, where's your work, so it's an adjustment to not abuse that freedom and make sure you get to your classes on time and make sure finish your homework on time. And not just finish it, but do it to the best of your ability because they really mark it and critique it really strictly," said Edwin.

The civil engineering major who hopes to pursue his education at university abroad in the not too distant future, said for now he's enjoying his life and COB, and loving his technical drawing classes especially.

"From a young age I liked taking things apart and trying to put them back together to see how they worked. Technical drawing I would say it's one of my favorite classes now. It's a lot of work, but I definitely see now that this is what I want to do," he said.

Edwin is already looking around at universities with good civil engineering programs to start applying for possible admission.
For a young man who lost both parents in high school and who still manages to do what he knows he needs to do educationally, Edwin's advice to other young men who are falling by the wayside is to look at their situation and to see if they are really happy with it, and if it is the best they can do. He also said regardless of what their peers may be doing, or what their family members may be saying, everyone has to take ownership of what they're doing.

"You don't necessarily have to go to college," he said. "My father came out of school at age 14 with a basic education and he went to night school, and upgraded himself. So even though he couldn't necessarily go to college abroad, or finish high school, he still kept educating himself by any means, and he became an accountant. He was a banker before he retired, and my parents owned a convenience store; and later down the line my father was a taxi driver. They worked to ensure their children could receive the best education possible."

Edwin said he admired his parents' drive.

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