FOCUS Graduate Daleisha Sweeting Achieves College Dreams

Since its inception in 2011, nearly 150 students have completed the eight years of the FOCUS programme and have found FOCUS to be a reliable bridge to post-secondary education.

Daleisha Sweeting is a FOCUS graduate and newly named Cutillas Scholar who has been partnering with the Foundations to pursue her dreams since her formative years.

“It feels like just yesterday when I applied to be in FOCUS in Grade 4,” reflected Daleisha. “It was such an honour to be selected that I didn’t think about what that lay ahead.”

Over the next eight years, Daleisha devoted 15 Saturdays per school year to FOCUS enrichment activities that included learning interventions in mathematics, English, science and social studies. When not involved in project-based-learning, Daleisha and her peers participated in field trips, sports and extracurricular activities. Summers were even busier with FOCUS Summer SLAM, a 30-day summer intensive at the University of The Bahamas.

For Daleisha, the adventure was well worth it.

“With the help of FOCUS, I maintained a 3.5 grade point average. I am now an experienced debater, speech competitor and young reporter for the environment!”

Daleisha was salutatorian for H.O. Nash Junior High School and received a scholarship to attend St. John’s College, a private school.

With FOCUS as a foundation, she became the first in her family to attend college.

Today, Lyford Cay Foundations continues to be there for Daleisha. She is now enrolled as a first-year Law and Criminal Justice student at the University of The Bahamas and has been named as one of the Foundations’ Cutillas Scholars.

As a Cutillas Scholar, Daleisha receives a scholarship, critical academic resources and guidance. Daleisha is grateful for the support she has received to bridge the gaps.

“I am honoured to attend the University of The Bahamas with support from The Bahamas Government Tertiary Grant and the Cutillas Scholarship. I aim to make my FOCUS family proud.”