Photo | The Tribune

Lyford Cay Foundation pledges $200,000 to vulnerable communities

LYFORD Cay Foundation, deeply concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world, particularly on the Bahamas, has pledged $200,000 in immediate aid for vulnerable Bahamian communities affected by the lockdown.

GAIN AN EDGE: A band of brothers - and sisters - achieve their common dream

FOCUS (Forward and Onward to College Upward to Success) is a college access programme of Lyford Cay Foundations, made possible by the generosity of donors. This year the very first cohort of students completes high school and moves forward to college. This is their story.

GAIN AN EDGE: Kristal’s battle to tackle Bahamas’ plastic pollution

Kristal Ambrose is a changemaker. She has participated in research conferences around the world and has been recognized for her fight in ending plastic pollution. Kristal’s advocacy and the work of a Bahamian non-profit she founded have also been featured in international publications showcasing the work of environmental innovators.

GAIN AN EDGE: Chasing dreams from New Providence to Acklins

FOCUS is Lyford Cay Foundations’ out-of-school time, tuition-free enrichment programme. It provides college readiness and access support to public school students of demonstrated need and potential. Students, who are accepted through a multi-faceted selection process, begin the programme the summer after Grade 4, with the goal of becoming the first in their families to achieve post-secondary education.

GAIN AN EDGE – Follow your dreams: Reflections from a first-generation college graduate

Going to college is an exciting time, full of growth and exploration. It can also be frustrating and scary – especially if you are the first in your family to ever go to college. That’s because ‘first-generation’ students (a term used to describe those who are the first in their family to attend college), often have limited access to the important resources that can help make attending and graduating from college a reality.

GAIN AN EDGE: From intern to mentor in seven short years

Seven years ago, Krista Newbold began a journey to help students become college-ready. Little did she know that during the process, she would also become a student, learning invaluable lessons that would shape the way she teaches and connects with her students.

Top Tips for Landing the First Job After Graduation

COLLEGE graduation is an exciting milestone that marks years of preparation, hard-work and sacrifice for both students and their families. However, the celebration of success is often short-lived for graduates as they anxiously turn their thoughts to what the next steps should be.

GAIN AN EDGE: Scholarship that opened doors

Lyford Cay scholar Justin Jack didn’t always envision himself going to college when he was growing up in the small settlement of Bluff, South Andros. His community was modest and unassuming. Some neighbours cooked their food with a wood fire and most provided for their needs through self-employment in fishing and crabbing. A college education was not one of Justin’s early aspirations.

GAIN AN EDGE: The perfect career is within your reach

You have big dreams – that’s why you’ve been thinking about college. You’ve discovered a secret that many don’t know. You’ve discovered graduating from college is key to unlocking career doors in this rapidly changing world.

GAIN AN EDGE: Second chance for a dream

For some, the road to college is relatively smooth. However, for most the road to higher education is a rocky, long, uphill climb. Often it takes more than one try to make college dreams a reality. But those second chances in education are always well worth it.