Reading Time: 4 minutes

For many students, the journey through high school is a mix of challenges and triumphs.

But, for 16-year-old Mylon McCalla of Holland High School in Trelawny, the road to academic success was paved with extraordinary hardships, the kind that would leave most teenagers disheartened.

His family endured severe financial struggles, including the heartbreaking night before his first Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination in May, when they were threatened with eviction.

But Mylon transformed his struggles into stepping stones, emerging as one of the school’s shining examples of resilience and determination, attaining seven CSEC subjects in the May 2025 exam period, including a Grade one in Integrated Science and Grade two in Mathematics, of which he is particularly proud.

In total, the scholar holds eight CSEC examination passes. In the May-June 2025 CSEC examination period, his grades include Grade two in English Language and Information Technology; Grade three in Physics and History, while in fourth form, he obtained a Grade two in Electronic Document Preparation Management.

The 16-year-old described his CSEC journey as “hectic”, but his dedication kept him going.

“It was my commitment to trying to be successful in my life, and at least this was one shot I couldn’t waste in high school, so I tried my best not to waste my time,” he told JIS News in an interview.

With limited resources, Mylon relied on his mother’s mobile phone, the only technological device available at home, to conduct his research. At night, he would stand outside, borrowing his neighbour’s Wi-Fi to complete assignments. During school hours, he borrowed friends’ devices just to keep up with his schoolwork.

“I spent a lot of time over the CXC looking at 20 videos at least, just trying to understand a portion of it (mathematics),” he told JIS News.

His mother would ensure he had the CSEC past papers, which he would practise before his exams. Though Mylon continued to strive for excellence, he noted that there were moments when he had doubts along the way. “I also thought that with everything that was happening now, I probably wouldn’t make it in terms of grades,” he said.

He overcame these doubts with his commitment and positive attitude.

“I am a person who goes with the flow of things.  I probably want to get my parents, who tried so hard over the years, to try to push them, to try to get them out of the situation they are now, because maybe I am the ray of hope for my family,” he said.

Behind Mylon’s quiet strength is his mother, Nardia Thompson McCalla, whose sacrifices helped hold the family together. She remembers the night before his first exam vividly.

“The landlord wanted to kick us out; I had to say no, he has an exam tomorrow.  I’m not moving,” she said.

With farming as their primary source of income, the McCalla family’s financial struggles were compounded by praedial larceny and mounting bills. Mrs McCalla became creative in making meals stretch and altering school uniforms so her son would always look presentable. Although her family remained rooted in their faith, beneath the surface, she worried for her son. “He started getting mentally tired… he got anxious, and sometimes he would cry because it was a lot to do,” she told JIS News.

Mrs McCalla encouraged Mylon and allowed him to take breaks.

Much of their survival depended on the breadwinner and backbone of their family, Aniel McCalla.

Mr. McCalla would make the necessary sacrifices to ensure his son went to school.

Graduation brought an unexpected gift for Mylon. Unable to afford the cost, Mrs. McCalla thought he would have to skip the ceremony, but the school stepped in and sponsored his attendance.

To their surprise, Mylon was awarded the title of ‘Most Resilient Student’ at the ceremony.

“I cried all of graduation at the time,” Mrs. McCalla said.

Meanwhile, Mylon’s fifth-form teacher, Rickaylia Bennett, told JIS News that she also cried during his graduation ceremony.

“I sat in my chair and I shed tears because to know what he had gone through, and to know that other teachers are aware, and they acknowledged his struggle in such a way where it motivates them to say, hey, you know we’re aware that you’re struggling, and we see that you’re trying, and we are going to award your perseverance,” she said.

Ms. Bennett described Mylon as a jovial and highly motivated student who readily sought help from teachers when needed and was highly supportive of his peers.

She mentioned that she noticed how he would take lunch to school every day, but never understood the scope of his situation until he explained why he needed to borrow his peer’s device to complete his work.

“He didn’t allow his situation to define him in any sense,” Bennett said, recalling herself screaming for Mylon when she heard of his CSEC grades.

With Mylon’s eyes now set on the path to become a robotics engineer, he acknowledged that he would try to work before pursuing his dream. “I was probably saying that for now I was going to work a little bit, probably go to HEART and get electrical,” he said.

Mylon said that there’s one piece of advice he is going to give himself moving forward.

“I would tell myself that no matter how many doubts and insecurities I have, that everybody also has their own problems and situations, so my own problems are not an excuse,” he said.