Visually impaired student to graduate as Wesley College’s valedictorian
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. May 16, 2024
Sixteen-year-old Alyssa Fisher, a visually impaired student from Belize City, has been named Wesley College’s valedictorian for the year 2023-2024.
Alyssa, who will be graduating with an impressive GPA of 3.91, expressed her excitement and happiness to Amandala upon learning she would be the valedictorian, stating, “I feel very excited, and I still feel very excited. I’m really happy about it.”
Unlike her peers, Alyssa’s journey was filled with unique challenges. While they could easily read and write on their own, Alyssa had to rely on others to read to her and transcribe her responses. This time-consuming process required patience and persistence.
Throughout her academic journey, Alyssa’s teachers played a huge role in ensuring she was never left out of any activity or lesson. She explained that they specifically scheduled time to cater to her needs, understanding that she is an auditory learner.
The support she received from her school was complemented by the dedication of her family, especially her mother, Carol Fisher. Carol described the journey as particularly challenging during Alyssa’s final year of high school.
The increased workload from School-Based Assessments (SBAs) for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams required careful time management. Often, Alyssa had to work late into the night to keep up with her assignments.
“I would give her a break, and then we will come back and push forward to see how far we could reach because of the number of SBAs that she had,” Carol recounted.
Unfortunately, the transition from primary to high school posed additional challenges. While Horizon Academy, Alyssa’s primary school, had a special education unit that provided dedicated support, such resources were not available at Wesley College.
To bridge the gap, Carol hired an assistant to accompany Alyssa to school. This person was responsible for taking notes, helping with mobility, and ensuring Alyssa could participate fully in her classes.
Though challenging, Alyssa never gave up, and accredits her family’s support for helping her during difficult times. “They were my supporters behind everything. Whenever I felt like I wanted to give up or I can’t do this, they would tell me, ‘Just go ahead. Don’t be afraid of anything.’ They were the support behind all of my accomplishments and everything that I did and continue to do,” she said.
Despite her daughter’s achievement, Carol believes that the education system is not adequately equipped to support students with visual impairments, often leaving them behind. While other children with disabilities receive more attention and resources, visually impaired students rely heavily on organizations like the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI) and the financial stability of their families to succeed.
She expressed gratitude to Wesley College for accepting Alyssa and taking on the challenge of providing her with a supportive educational environment. Alyssa’s journey is particularly unique, considering that her first choice of high schools, including St. Catherine Academy, Edward P. Yorke, and Nazarene High School, had turned her down.
As Alyssa prepares for sixth form next year to major in either history or science, she hopes her story will inspire others, especially those with disabilities, to never give up, and always strive to be their best selves.
“I would also like to encourage anyone with a disability or anyone in general, to keep pushing forward. There were a lot of times that I wanted to give up, but I always pushed myself to do the most I could. I never let anything hold me down,” she expressed.