AUTISM DIDN’T STOP LAREN HARTLEY FROM GETTING HIS DEGREE
MONEAGUE, St Ann; Nov. 28, 2024
‘All I needed was for persons to believe in me’
Laren La-Mar Hartley had thought of giving up on college.
Now he’s basking in the honour of receiving the Principal’s Award and his Bachelor’s Degree. “I feel alive, great, awesome. So shocked I was. It was an unforgettable moment,” he said reflecting on receiving the award at his graduation from The Moneague College on Tuesday, November 19.
For him, it has been a rough journey knowing he was autistic and that meant often being treated differently and struggling to fit in.
He had gone to The Moneague College in 2019 to study for an Associate Degree in Management Information Systems. Five years later he received the BSc Management Information Systems.
He says it was not an easy journey.
Laren Hartley was diagnosed with autism at an early age but didn’t know until he was a student at Hydel High School. “I was taken aback,” he said.
He said things started to make sense after that. “I realized after a while that I couldn’t mask it.” He said that initially he tried to fit into a group but later he came to know that was not necessary. “Be yourself and see what happens. I knew whatever I was born to do I could do.”
At The Moneague, in the first year, he soon found things were stressful.
“I realised it was more than I bargained for,” he told the North Coast Times. At some point, he said to himself, “Man, I can’t be bothered.” But he stayed the course and at the end of his second semester managed to pass all the courses.
The second year was tough too but he carried on.
“I wanted to make a mark at the college not just to get a degree. I wanted to be an inspiration to the college.”
He said he entered the race to become the student relations officer of the Guild (in the first semester of the second year). He didn’t win but got over 100 votes which built his confidence. Colleagues, friends and his mother congratulated him on how well he had done. That helped build his confidence in relating to others.
He was encouraged too by a radio interview he did live in 2021 promoting Autism Awareness Month. “I realized autism was my superpower,” he said.
Having successfully completed the Associate degree, he started the Bachelor in Management, as a part-time student.
He struggled and failed courses (one in each semester) in the third year. However, Laren persevered and used the summer to pass those he had failed.
Then another big bump on the academic road came in the fourth year
Laren Hartley said the pressure was intense. He failed some courses and said, “I knew there would have to be an extra year.”
But he came through and used the extra year also to do Math which he had failed in CXC.
He said the journey was also helped by lecturers who offered support when he fell down. He said “Lecturers were very encouraging. They would say you would be fine. When all is said and done, you can make it to the finish line.”
He did. (See also awardee for another College special prize)
NAFISA HAYLES TAKES TOP CCCJ GRADES
“The Principal’s Award Goes to Laren Hartley.”
There was a roar from the crowd.
The awardee is the Principal’s own choice of a student who is outstanding not strictly in academics but a credit to the college. In this case, an overcomer.
Vice-Principal for Student and Administrative Affairs, Dr Jacqueline Thames leaned forward at the mike and mentioned how monumental the performance was as Laren was special as he was autistic.
Mr Hartley said that hearing the announcement at graduation caused him to “Reflect on all we have to do on the journey. Unforgettable. Pretty much like you really stamped your mark. It meant a lot to me.”
He said a special thanks to his mother, Lorraine Hartley. “She has always believed in me. She has been very important. All I needed was for persons to believe in me. ” He also said thanks to his father Laughton Hartley.
He still has goals including wanting to become a motivational speaker.
“This Moneague college journey is the toughest I’ve ever been on. Nevertheless, I have learnt a lot from the journey. All of it was special,” The Principal’s Awardee for 2024 said.
“I Thank them all for giving me a chance to work for my degree. My thanks to Moneague College.”
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