Student Success
Our students leave us to go on journeys as unique and varied as they are and yet all end up as successful thriving young adults.
Starlite
You would think that for someone who didn’t learn to read and write confidently until secondary school, learning would be something they shy away from, but not Starlite. From the time Starlite started at BTBE until today, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive and be dedicated to her learning. She cares deeply about human rights, community, and social action. Over the years, her love of history and art has been a part of telling stories and advocating for those who need it the most, especially people in her community. Starlite struggled to get her ideas out on paper and speak about them initially. Today, she stands up and shares her ideas loud and clear. She was awarded a full scholarship through our BPL network to study Art for Social Change in Italy after secondary school. Having recently returned to Barbados, she has made a significant impact on the art world, medaling in NIFCA, being awarded the Jackie Opal Residency, and launching her own art business. She remains connected to her local community and is committed to changing the world for the better through art and activism. In the best development yet, Starlite will be joining us as part of our teaching team in the upcoming school year!
Adrian
Adrian came to BTBE for secondary school after feeling completely disconnected with learning in his traditional primary school. Beyond this, he struggled with anxiety,y and it had become debilitating for him. One particular story in Adrian’s journey stands out. He had a severe fear of heights and cliff edges. His interest project in his first term with us was all about conquering his fears. He started by learning to do back flips on a trampoline, then walking to the cliff’s edge on the farm, and our very last Leaving To Learn (LTL) day, Adrian, without hesitation, jumped off a cliff into the sea! From that moment on, Adrian showed us his ability to set goals and achieve them. He never wavered in all of his time at BTBE. He played drums in a band with passion and played on the Barbados National Football Team until he left the island to attend college in the United Kingdom. He’s now studying and pursuing his dreams of becoming a professional footballer at Borehamwood FC.
Zed
It was the height of the pandemic when Zed got sent back home in his senior year of high school from United World College in Rome. He was at a loss as to what to do about completing his studies. In our first meeting with Zed, his brilliance was evident. Zed was passionate about so many things and held a deep love for learning. Zed became the first international recipient of the IBPLC outside of Australia. His senior project dove deep into finance, economics, and the stock market. He learned how to trade, taught others, interned in trading companies, designed websites, recorded podcasts, and wrote an in-depth thesis paper on “How World Events Impact the U.S Stock Market”. His work and drive are inspiring, and we are thrilled to see Zed following his passion, returning to Italy, and studying finance in Rome.
Ella
Ella arrived at BTBE after feeling completely done with her previous school and education as a whole. She struggled to believe in herself and found it hard to concentrate on learning. Ella needed lots of support to begin with at BTBE, but slowly, we removed the scaffolds, and she became a strong, independent learner. Not in the traditional classroom sense, but in the way she operated in the world and advocated for herself and others. Mental health has always been something Ella struggled with, and because of that, much of her work surrounded it. She explored many avenues through that lens, fashion, cosmetology, hairdressing, and most importantly, female activism. Ella was the founder of the now annual Girl’s Night at BTBE, which she started to give girls a space where they could be themselves, relax, and connect with each other without any outside pressures. Ella was offered a job right out of school at a prominent hair salon. After saving up and experiencing the working world, she decided to travel the globe and, at the end of a year-long whirlwind, chose to enroll in college. Ella is now studying psychology at Sydney Technical University.
Maia
Maia transferred into us when she was at a crossroads. She was disengaged and no longer wanted to attend school. She had lost her love and drive for learning, and worst of all, had lost her sense of who she was. Maia began slowly at BTBE, taking her time and keeping to herself, though working diligently from the moment she walked through the door. Maia’s work at BTBE explored her love of animals and her interest in the human mind, specifically its struggle with addiction. Eventually, she settled on studying psychology at the University of the West Indies. Maia left BTBE with her head held high, full of confidence and a strong sense of who she is and what she wants to see in the world. She’s passionate about human rights, and we expect to see her use her psychology degree to change the world!
Donté
Donté was with BTBE since the day it opened. He came in as a young boy full of energy and not a care in the world for academics. Because of the school BTBE, he was allowed to explore every avenue possible. Though he created projects all over the map, he continued to come back to cooking, developing a deep love of food and culinary arts. He wowed the entire school with his skills. The most memorable moment in his culinary journey was when he hosted a dinner evening at our restaurant next door, designing the menu, sourcing the ingredients, and running the kitchen on the night itself. It was a spectacular evening filled with mouth-watering, creative food. Donté is now studying under well-respected chef Sophie Michell at the Local & Co. with hopes of becoming a world-renowned chef himself.
