Simone Rolle, 21, an honors student at Savannah State University was recently honored at Savannah State University's 57th Annual Honors Convocation at which she was awarded a silver medals for attaining President List (4.00) honours and a blue ribbon for having attained Honor's List status. In fact, Simone has been receiving honor's awards since she arrived at the university last year. (Photo: Simone Rolle)

Education is key to life and success -- this was the message that was drilled into Simone Rolle during her formative years by her parents. Today, Simone is making herself and her parents proud as she matriculates towards a bachelor's degree in forensic science, and amassing a number of academic awards in the process.

Simone, 21, was recently honored at Savannah State University's 57th Annual Honors Convocation at which she was awarded a silver medal for attaining President List (4.00) honors and a blue ribbon for having attained Honor's List status. In fact, Simone has been receiving honor's awards since she arrived at the university last year.

The daughter of Simeon and Alice Rolle, says she is proud of her accomplishments and of being able to make her parents proud. She said they have been going through a lot to help her to attend college and earn her degree.

"I'm very appreciative of my mother's efforts, and my family's efforts as well," she said.

Because she had the importance of an education drilled into her, Simone says getting that degree in honors fashion is all-important to her.

"I put my all into my education because of my parents and wanting to make them proud. But it's like if you don't have an education then you're limiting yourself. There are so many things you can do after you have an education -- much more than you could do than if you just had a high school diploma. It opens doors for you, and is basically a bright future."

Simone's parents have always told her that she was going to college -- she grew up hearing that too. But early on, her head hadn't quite caught up to that fact. During those formative years, she said she figured she would go to college, and if it didn't work out -- well it didn't work out -- and she wouldn't have to continue if she didn't like it.

Actually, of her two older siblings, her eldest brother started college but did not finish; and her other brother never even enrolled in college. So she had no siblings' efforts to emulate. But she had a mother who she could look up to as she earned her master's degree in business administration, and did most of it online while raising her children and holding down a job.

Simone says she knows how difficult that must have been for her mother to do, when she compares herself in that she played sports, worked and was enrolled in school at the same time.

"I kind of know what she went through," she said.To her credit, Simone says she has always been dedicated to her studies, and has excelled academically from as far back as she can recall.

As a primary school student at Carmichael Primary, Simone says she was called "brainiac" by her friends. She was the school's deputy head girl and received the most outstanding female award at graduation, having graduated on the honor's list. She went on to S.C. McPherson Junior School where she once again earned deputy head girl and prefect honors and was awarded a Tara Xavier Hepburn Foundation Scholarship, which allowed her to finish high school in the private school sector at St. John's College.

The scholarship is open to graduates of government junior schools and students of SJC and St. Anne's School (SAS), and tenable at SJC and SAS. In order to be considered for a scholarship, applicants must be nominated by their school, attain at least a 3.00 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 which must include English and mathematics with a "C" grade or better.

At SJC Simone once again took on deputy head girl and prefect responsibilities as well. While Simone cannot recall her kindergarten years, she said according to her mother, she was a "smart kid" then too.

Simone was awarded a four-year scholarship to matriculate at the College of The Bahamas after graduating high school. She enrolled in the biochemistry program where she studied for two years before she transferred to Savannah State University to pursue forensic science studies. Her decision to pursue the forensic science course of study is simply because she likes to know the reasons why everything is done and how it's done.

"I was a person who always asked questions. I used to get told to be quiet by my parents a lot of times, so I decided to pick a profession that helps me to answer the questions that I have," she said.

And she's getting that degree at a cost that is considerably lighter on her pocket. Because of her academic excellence she was approved for a waiver that has allowed her to pay in-state tuition instead of out-of-state fees at Savannah State University. A tuition savings she says that amounts to between $14,000 and $20,000 annually.

Simone who hopes to graduate in May 2017, said she would like to return home to work in the police force's forensic lab, but knows that with the interdisciplinary degree that she can work anywhere that is science related.

While she excels at university, Simone says she still thinks her biggest accomplishment to date was being able to balance high school and her extracurricular track activities.

"Looking back at high school and junior school, I don't know how I got all my BGCSE's [Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education] and BJC's [Bahamas Junior Certificate] with A, B, and C [grades] when I had to be at the gym almost every morning, practice after school and then come home and have enough energy to do my work."

Simone who trained with Olympic sprint gold medalist Pauline Davis-Thompson said the discipline she developed through that training helped her in setting her determination in life to excel.

"Doing sports helps you get disciplined. I realized that," said Simone.

Her advice to high school seniors who are preparing themselves for college is to not slack off and avoid distractions.

"You have to learn to prioritize time and realize what is important to you. I know for a fact that it isn't easy. And every class that you take helps you in life in someway, whether you know it or not. You have to work towards success. You can't just have it handed to you. And the harder you work for something the better the results," she said.

At Savannah State Simone works in the library, is a part of the forensic science club, the international students association and the Black Silhoutettes Dance Team. She's hung up her spikes. She says dance is now her sport.Education is key to life and success -- this was the message that was drilled into Simone Rolle during her formative years by her parents. Today, Simone is making herself and her parents proud as she matriculates towards a bachelor's degree in forensic science, and amassing a number of academic awards in the process.

Simone, 21, was recently honored at Savannah State University's 57th Annual Honors Convocation at which she was awarded a silver medal for attaining President List (4.00) honors and a blue ribbon for having attained Honor's List status. In fact, Simone has been receiving honor's awards since she arrived at the university last year.

The daughter of Simeon and Alice Rolle, says she is proud of her accomplishments and of being able to make her parents proud. She said they have been going through a lot to help her to attend college and earn her degree.

"I'm very appreciative of my mother's efforts, and my family's efforts as well," she said.

Because she had the importance of an education drilled into her, Simone says getting that degree in honors fashion is all-important to her.

"I put my all into my education because of my parents and wanting to make them proud. But it's like if you don't have an education then you're limiting yourself. There are so many things you can do after you have an education -- much more than you could do than if you just had a high school diploma. It opens doors for you, and is basically a bright future."

Simone's parents have always told her that she was going to college -- she grew up hearing that too. But early on, her head hadn't quite caught up to that fact. During those formative years, she said she figured she would go to college, and if it didn't work out -- well it didn't work out -- and she wouldn't have to continue if she didn't like it.

Actually, of her two older siblings, her eldest brother started college but did not finish; and her other brother never even enrolled in college. So she had no siblings' efforts to emulate. But she had a mother who she could look up to as she earned her master's degree in business administration, and did most of it online while raising her children and holding down a job.

Simone says she knows how difficult that must have been for her mother to do, when she compares herself in that she played sports, worked and was enrolled in school at the same time.

"I kind of know what she went through," she said.

To her credit, Simone says she has always been dedicated to her studies, and has excelled academically from as far back as she can recall.

As a primary school student at Carmichael Primary, Simone says she was called "brainiac" by her friends. She was the school's deputy head girl and received the most outstanding female award at graduation, having graduated on the honor's list. She went on to S.C. McPherson Junior School where she once again earned deputy head girl and prefect honors and was awarded a Tara Xavier Hepburn Foundation Scholarship, which allowed her to finish high school in the private school sector at St. John's College.

The scholarship is open to graduates of government junior schools and students of SJC and St. Anne's School (SAS), and tenable at SJC and SAS. In order to be considered for a scholarship, applicants must be nominated by their school, attain at least a 3.00 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 which must include English and mathematics with a "C" grade or better.

At SJC Simone once again took on deputy head girl and prefect responsibilities as well. While Simone cannot recall her kindergarten years, she said according to her mother, she was a "smart kid" then too.

Simone was awarded a four-year scholarship to matriculate at the College of The Bahamas after graduating high school. She enrolled in the biochemistry program where she studied for two years before she transferred to Savannah State University to pursue forensic science studies. Her decision to pursue the forensic science course of study is simply because she likes to know the reasons why everything is done and how it's done.

"I was a person who always asked questions. I used to get told to be quiet by my parents a lot of times, so I decided to pick a profession that helps me to answer the questions that I have," she said.

And she's getting that degree at a cost that is considerably lighter on her pocket. Because of her academic excellence she was approved for a waiver that has allowed her to pay in-state tuition instead of out-of-state fees at Savannah State University. A tuition savings she says that amounts to between $14,000 and $20,000 annually.

Simone who hopes to graduate in May 2017, said she would like to return home to work in the police force's forensic lab, but knows that with the interdisciplinary degree that she can work anywhere that is science related.

While she excels at university, Simone says she still thinks her biggest accomplishment to date was being able to balance high school and her extracurricular track activities.

"Looking back at high school and junior school, I don't know how I got all my BGCSE's [Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education] and BJC's [Bahamas Junior Certificate] with A, B, and C [grades] when I had to be at the gym almost every morning, practice after school and then come home and have enough energy to do my work."

Simone who trained with Olympic sprint gold medalist Pauline Davis-Thompson said the discipline she developed through that training helped her in setting her determination in life to excel.

"Doing sports helps you get disciplined. I realized that," said Simone.

Her advice to high school seniors who are preparing themselves for college is to not slack off and avoid distractions.

"You have to learn to prioritize time and realize what is important to you. I know for a fact that it isn't easy. And every class that you take helps you in life in someway, whether you know it or not. You have to work towards success. You can't just have it handed to you. And the harder you work for something the better the results," she said.

At Savannah State Simone works in the library, is a part of the forensic science club, the international students association and the Black Silhoutettes Dance Team. She's hung up her spikes. She says dance is now her sport.

By Shavaughn Moss

Guardian Lifestyles Editor

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