41-year-old grandmother goes back to school

With the graduation season about to begin, we can look forward to thousands of young graduates from the nation’s high schools, junior colleges and university to march proudly across the stage toward their awaiting diplomas. But not all the students in Belize’s educational system are teenagers…or even in their twenties. Recently News 5’s Patrick Jones spent some classroom time with one Belize City woman who’s decided it’s never too late to learn.

Patrick Jones, Reporting

This is the story of Karen Adolphus. She’s not your run of the mill granny. You know, the kind that would stay at home minding the grand kids, growing old gracefully, while regaling the younger generation with stories of the good old days. Instead she’s in pursuit of her dream: a high school diploma.

Karen Adolphus, Student, S.J.C. Extension

“I was raised by a grandmother. My grandmother died at the age of fourteen, so I didn’t get the chance to go to college, nobody wouldn’t help probably.”

But Adolphus didn’t bother feeling sorry for herself. Instead, twenty-five years after leaving primary school, she has returned to the classroom, intent of getting the secondary school education she was denied in her youth.

Karen Adolphus is currently enrolled as a second year student at S.J.C. Extension Department. Each day, the grandmother of four, proudly takes her seat among the other students in her class, many of them young enough to call her mom. But she’s not intimidated and looks at it as only one more challenge on the way to achieving her dream.

Karen Adolphus

“I don’t have good memory like the younger ones. I don’t have good mind to hold in everything like the younger ones, but I will try harder for me because I know that is something I wants to do. I find that challenging to get up in the morning do my chores and after doing my chores I take a bath and get my books and lay right in front of the TV with my books. Anybody goes to my house will find books.”

It is that attitude that is fuelling her passion for education. The school’s director, Miguel Wong, a veteran of over forty-five years in the teaching profession says people like Adolphus make good students.

Miguel Wong, Director, S.J.C. Extension Department

“The older people are serious people. They know what they want and they are more dedicated to their work. Some of the younger people come, sometimes, especially the people who begin from leaving Standard Six they come because they are forced to come and they are still playful, not really mature and they play around, so not really serious about their studies. But the older people yes, they know what they want, they are serious and they know what they want to accomplish in life.”

Karen Adolphus

“My son. The one that is living with me, he thought that he was the one supposed to be going back to school and I should be at home cooking and taking care of them and the grandchildren. But I don’t have time for them right now, I want to go to school, I need my education because out here if you don’t have an education, you have nothing.”

Kareem Swazo, Son

“I shoulda goh join ah. But then see dah a different thing out here for we, we noh di work and thing to same way and when time we do mek any money dah just fu tek care ah the kids them the same way you know and try live throughout the rest ah the day with what you got.”

Adolphus is a model student and her grades are proof that this granny means business.

Karen Adolphus

“In math I went from a “D” failure, to a B+, thanks to my teacher Mr. Acevedo, who helped me and explain and let me understand…I make level of eighty-nine in English. In science I make an A+.”

And no one has to be behind grandma to do her homework.

Karen Adolphus

“I never showed up to school without my homework, my teachers will tell you that. That’s one of my main things, even to remind the teacher that we had homework today.”

Adolphus is revelling in her second childhood and she is using her experience to prove to other women her age that if the mind is willing, dreams can come true.

Karen Adolphus

“I want to say to the people out there who had never been in school or who had been in school and had been a drop out, come back to school. Without an education you are nothing. Everybody will take you for a fool without an education. If I couldn’t read and write I would go to someone and ask them to help me, but I was so glad, I’m so proud of my grand mother–she is dead and gone–I’m proud of her to know that she had, at least she let me go to six. And for all that time that I had sat on just Standard Six, I’m very sorry, believe me right now Patrick, I’m sorry. When I received this paper yesterday. When I came home from school last night and I had this paper, that’s when I realize that I am sorry that I didn’t get my education the time when I was supposed to get it. But I still don’t feel bad, because you’re never too old to learn.”

Patrick Jones, for News 5.

Adolphus will graduate in June of next year and is already looking forward to attending S.J.C. Junior College.