Julien Serrano-O'Neil 12/10/18 Julien Serrano-O'Neil 12/10/18

Kedrine Gayle, Future Leaders United Alumnae President graduates Evans with Honors, now attends USF

Kedrine Gayle, 18, moved to Orlando from Jamaica in 2016 and graduated Evans High School. She said the move was a fresh start for her and credits the school, mentors and community groups for her success.

Caribbean teen overcomes depression for academic achievement in Orlando

Kedrine Gayle graduated with honors, now attends USF

By Jerry Askin - Reporter

Posted: 5:30 AM, October 01, 2018 Updated: 5:30 AM, October 01, 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. - Kedrine Gayle, 18, said she's living proof that despite their background and upbringing, people can achieve whatever they strive for with the right focus and determination.

Gayle wanted to share her story of how moving to the United States from Jamaica was a second chance for her after years of being what she called "fed up."

Gayle is an Evans High School graduate and now attends the University of South Florida majoring in nursing. She said her plan is to be a nurse practitioner with plans of tackling the health care system and its effects on the underrepresented populations of society. She wants to be focus on making health care more accessible for legal immigrants.

She told News 6 that before immigrating to the U.S. in 2016, she considered herself sad, angry and depressed. She said she thought there was no way out.

"My grades dropped subsequent (due) to the passing of loved ones," Gayle said. "Insecurities consumed my thoughts and the idea of suicide became more of a friend than a visitor."

Gayle said when she moved to the U.S., it was a new start for her and she quickly found her purpose of helping others realize what they were meant to do.

Evans High School set her up for greatness, Gayle said, and helped her see her full potential.

"I came out with straight A’s and was recognized on the principal’s honor roll as well as being the top student in many of my classes," Gayle said. "The students of Evans High School were exposed to many opportunities, opportunities that students in the Caribbean will probably never be recipients of."

In return, she helped her classmates see the full potential in themselves and encouraged them not to let their outside surroundings interfere with their destined greatness.

"I would simply present myself as the one person who would listen to the dreams that they would dare not tell a soul and in turn work with them to figure out ways in which they could make their dreams come true," Gayle said. "The students of Evans, unknowingly, would allow the many negative labels of the outer community to comfortably adhere to their outlook on life."

During her senior year at Evans High, Gayle became the Student Government Association vice president, president of Future Leaders United and member of the Pine Hills Community Council’s Youth Advisory Board.

Gayle said that she transformed her shyness and depression into to a passion for advocacy.

"I wanted to promote individualism and discovery of purpose, especially among the underrepresented individuals of Evans, all while preserving the true definition of school pride," said Gayle.

Gayle also said mentors played a huge role in encouraging youths to reach their full potential. She also credits the leadership and the mentors from the United Foundation of Central Florida with her success.

"There were times when I lost hope and negative thoughts tried to creep in but the United Foundation of Central Florida, along with their partners and sponsors stood as my advocate in making my dreams come true," Gayle said, adding, "The entire foundation became more of a family to me and with them I was able to truly fulfill purpose. I was able to accomplish many things in just two years, things that I would only dream of."

Julien Serrano-O'Neil 12/10/18 Julien Serrano-O'Neil 12/10/18

Kena Francois, Future Leaders United Alumnae Wants to become a Psychiatrist

Kena Francois, 18, Future Leaders United Alumnae completed high school in May of 2018 and now attends Seminole State College. She said her goal is to eventually attend medical school and some day become a psychiatrist.

Reprint from ClickOrlando.com

Evans High graduate works to tackle mental health crisis

Teen plans to become psychiatrist

By Jerry Askin - Reporter

Posted: 5:01 AM, September 10, 2018 Updated: 5:01 AM, September 10, 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. - A recent Evans High School graduate is working to raise awareness about mental health in the black community.

Kena Francois, 17, completed high school in May and now attends Seminole State College. She said her goal is to eventually attend medical school and some day become a psychiatrist.

She believes mental health is a serious issue and said that, oftentimes, it's something people don't talk about, especially in the black community. She said it's real and the effects from it can be tough on children when they get older.

“A child who has experienced a lot of trauma, whether it’s seeing a lot of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, or having parents who are drug addicts, or having to go to foster homes, group homes and having, seeing your people go to jail -- you can’t tell me a child won’t feel depressed,” Francois said, not describing her situation, but speaking in general terms.

Francois said she once suffered from depression while growing up because she wasn't always understood by her parents or her peers. She moved to America from Haiti when she was 6 years old and finished her senior year of high school in a single-parent household. Francois said her mother worked three jobs to make ends meet.

Francois told News 6 she's always wanted to help people in the black community see the value of getting a handle on their mental health and know that it's OK to speak up.

She said she's even more encouraged to pursue her passion based on the recent high-profile incidents nationwide in which people suffering from mental health have hurt others and hurt themselves.

Francois credits programs such as the United Foundation of Central Florida, an after-school program, for giving her the motivation to attend college and work to pursue her career.

She told News 6 she wants to encourage everyone, especially minorities, to try to further their education beyond high school.

“In today’s society, especially for minorities, getting an education is the golden ticket to be successful in life," Francois said. "Whether it's the military, trade school, technical school -- do something. Don’t just sit around."

Francois said she's grateful for the motivation she's received from her mentors and her mother, who have always been by her side.

“Made my dreams seem achievable before it became a reality,” Francois said.

She said she's humbled to be the first in her family to finish high school and the first to attend college.

MORE NEWS HEADLINES

Once homeless Pine Hills teen is beating the odds (Future Leaders United Alumnus)

Julien Serrano-O'Neil 12/10/18 Julien Serrano-O'Neil 12/10/18

Future Leaders United Students Speak Out Over Concerns on Teacher Shortage

Nyala and her sister Nakari attend Evans High School in Orange County and attest that fill-in teachers and staff shortages are not something new.

Reprint MyNews13.com

Orlando students, parents express concern over teacher shortages across Central Florida

By Erin Murray Orlando August 9, 2018 @5:59 PM

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In the Chamberlain household, Tenille Chamberlain works hard to make sure all bases are covered when raising three teenage girls, but some things are just out of her control.

Orlando teens worry about teacher shortages
The Chamberlains say they want more consistency
RELATED: Back to School 2018

“What are you going to do if you don’t have a teacher?” asked 20-year-old Njani Chamberlain.

“Senior year -- that is going to be a problem,” said 17-year-old Nyala Chamberlain.

Nyala and her sister Nakari attend Evans High School in Orange County and attest that fill-in teachers and staff shortages are not something new.

“It is something I have been going through since freshman year,” Nyala said.

Her mother joins her in this worry.

“I feel like it takes a village to raise children, and I feel like I do my part as a parent, but then I really depend on teachers,” Tenille said.

School shortages and vacancies are across all Central Florida.

In Volusia County, there are 77 unfilled teaching positions, between 40 to 80 in Orange County, 120 in Osceola, and in Brevard, eight.

When compared to overall instructional positions, the vacancies are a small percentage. But even just one unfilled spot has a trickle down affect.

“Every child and it affects the teachers, and everyone in the school, because in some situations they might have to divide classes and make classes larger among the teachers that are there,” said Wendy Doromal, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association President.

All of the school districts assure us even with the vacancies, the classrooms will be manned by substitutes or other current qualified teachers.

But a lack of just one consistent teacher can do damage -- Nyala dealt with a long-term sub last year.

“They kept giving us packets of work. And by the time we had to do the chemistry OC, I felt like I was not prepared,” Nyala said.

With it just days away from the new school year, Tenille is past the point of understanding why these positions can’t be filled.

“We need them, we need them, a lot; we do,” Tenille said.

She just wants the school districts to get it done so her kids can worry less about teachers and focus more on their excitement for the first day of school.

“It’s not fair; I don’t think it is,” Nyala said.