GoodHeart | BK scholar Amanda Hunt charts path to medicine

From as early as Grade 2, Amanda Jody Hunt had already mapped out her future. Growing up in an inner-city community, she remained focused on her ambitions. Guided by discipline and the teachings of Marcus Garvey, her goal was clear: to excel academically, enter the medical field and become a paediatrician.

Having earned Grade 1 passes in biology, chemistry, communication studies and pure mathematics in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination Unit 2, the 18-year-old is now preparing to begin a degree in biochemistry at The University of the West Indies, Mona, her first step towards studying medicine.

Her choice of paediatrics stems from her love for children and her belief that they deserve tender, empathetic care.

Speaking at the Burger King Scholarship Awards Ceremony held on Tuesday at the AC Hotel Kingston, Hunt explained, “I wanted to go into paediatrics because I have always been fascinated by science at a young age and how it works and how we can help people in medicine as one of the career paths. I chose it specifically because I love being around children and seeing how I can make them feel cared for.”

Behind Hunt’s achievements is her mother, Latoya Perkins, who raised her and four younger siblings while facing persistent financial challenges. Perkins became pregnant while attending high school, cutting short her own education, but she was determined that her children would have opportunities she did not.

“I tell her every day, I’ll break my back just for her to stand,” Perkins said. “She is doing this ... this is like my dream coming true.”

That determination was evident when Hunt refused to select a backup secondary school, setting her sights solely on St Andrew High School for Girls. She later earned her place after emerging as her primary school’s top-performing PEP student across all subject areas.

At home, Hunt helped manage the household and care for her younger siblings while balancing her studies, extracurricular activities and community service.

“Being in a single-parent household taught me a lot about responsibility and time management,” Hunt said. “My mom wasn’t afforded the same opportunities, but her sacrifices gave me the confidence to excel, to apply for scholarships, and to never place a limit on my dreams.”

However, the cost of tertiary education threatened to place the family under further financial strain. That pressure was eased when Hunt received the Burger King Lois Lake Sherwood Tertiary Scholarship, which will cover $1.8 million of her tuition each year.

“Seeing her achieving so well despite where we live ... it was overwhelming,” Perkins said. “I’m so grateful to Burger King for taking off some of that pressure.”

For Hunt, the scholarship has brought her goal of entering the medical field closer.

“There is no limit on what you can do,” she said. “Even if you don’t know how it will happen, you stay faithful and look to those who walked before you. This scholarship made my vision a reality.”

goodheart@gleanerjm.co