University student taking family name to new heights

For 20-year-old Leighton Johnson, carrying the weight of being the first in his family to pursue tertiary education is not only a major achievement, but the beginning of breaking generational patterns.

“If high school leaving certificates don’t count, then I am the first to graduate high school, but I am definitely the first to go to sixth form and now the first to be here (at university),” he said. He called the achievement “an honour to do, but at the same time it makes me feel unique because I am creating my own footsteps”.

Sitting in his dorm room ready to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a major in fine studio arts and a minor in business at Chadron State College in Nebraska, USA, Johnson told THE STAR that the reality of being thousands of miles from home still feels somewhat surreal.

“I am the first to even go on a plane for my family. They are saying ‘Yo I wanted to do this’ and I am living the dream that they wanted to, so that is an honour. But I am optimistic and my goal is to ensure I come out successful and continue building on what I started,” he said.

Johnson explained that for generations, education in his family typically ended at the high school level, making his decision to pursue tertiary education a major milestone for his family.

“They support me 100 per cent and they ensure that everything goes smoothly. They try to ensure that I don’t amount to what they went through. They wanted me to be the first to finish school and explore that’s why I even passed for Calabar [High School in St Andrew],” he said.

While he hails from Longville Park, Clarendon, Johnson recalled the distance he travelled while attending Calabar, as part of his family’s efforts to give him life-changing opportunities.

“They said go and spread your wings and there I got eight CSEC and eight CAPE inclusive of unit 1 and 2, and it was like three hours to and from, and it wasn’t easy,” he said. But Johnson said life became particularly challenging after his father died while he was preparing to enter Grade 10. But through his mother’s prayers, he was able to remain on his educational path.

“We were blessed enough for me to travel from home to school, but it was hard. But mommy prayed a lot and God opened that door when I got an old boy as a sponsor for my high school journey and brought that ease to my mother. When my father passed, that year was so pressuring, but that was the same year I started boarding,” he said.

His journey overseas, he said, is another example of what he believes to be the result of his mother’s prayers. There were moments when he was unsure whether tertiary education abroad would be possible, but those doubts have since given way to opportunity as he is currently benefiting from three scholarships – academic, athletic and art. But he clarified that none of the scholarships are a “full ride” as they don’t cover all his expenses.

“So God really [work]. [It] was even hard to verify the funds to get the I-20 (the form that is required for all academic students looking to study in the US) and here comes my sponsor again,” he said. With his tuition expenses partially covered and classes already under way, Johnson said his main concern is meeting his everyday living expenses. The gap, he explained, is currently being filled through sales from his artwork.

“My painting has been generating funds because my art has been getting some exposure so I’m doing good right now. I am not saying it is the best but people are loving my art,” he said.

But, Johnson recalled that his relationship with art was not always straightforward. He told THE STAR that he initially tried to ignore the passion and simply did it “when mi did feel like”.

“It is so weird, I did not like arts but always have the talent. I had times [when] I stopped and take it up back. But I realised this is how I connect with people and I find that I express myself through the art,” he said.