Sixteen-Year-Old Belizean Accepted to Yale Program

A sixteen-year-old student from Belize High School has been accepted to the Young Global Scholar Program at Yale University. Yale is an Ivy league university ranked among the top ten best colleges in America. Sandra Lindo was selected, among a few others, from a pool of ten thousand applicants to participate in the two-week summer academic enrichment program for high school students.  In tonight’s episode of Belize on Reel, we spoke with Sandra to learn more about her journey to this achievement. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that story.

 

Sandra Lindo, Belize High School Student

“So I hurriedly opened it, and when I opened it, I started crying, and I made sure to hurriedly call my mom. And she’s like, what happened? And I was like, I got accepted, and she’s like, oh my god! And she’s so happy, and she’s like, doing like, what all moms do, and she started posting it, and my dad started posting it. And I don’t know, I just felt so happy, and I felt so proud to like, achieve this dream, and to have like, my biggest supporters by my side.”

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Ten thousand applicants from one hundred and fifty countries, that’s how many students sixteen-year-old Sandra Lindo was up against for a chance to participate in the Young Global Scholar Program at Yale University. A spot that she would later secure, despite the odds. This program offers sessions on various topics, such as literature, science, politics, and law. Sandra, a third form humanities major at Belize High School, decided to apply to the law program.

 

Sandra Lindo

“I currently got accepted to Yale Young Global Scholar, which is a summer program at Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. Okay. And there’s four categories, but my, the one that stood out to me the most is politics, law, and economics, as it’s something that I want to do in the future and I thought that this would be a great experience, because in my freshman and sophomore year, I did some dual credit courses, and I did criminal justice, and that really solidified my dream and saying yeah, I really want to become a lawyer.”

 

Sandra recently participated in the HACIA program which is the Harvard Association for Cultivation of Inter-American Democracy. It is a debate conference that serves as an opportunity for youths to come together and create solutions to real world problems.

 

Sandra Lindo

“HACIA, I think, is like a really great program that we have here, because it’s with Harvard and it’s the summit, and there’s like different committees based on what you like. So I know PAHO is based on like medical, you had CELAC, which is based on like issues that are happening, and I knew they were doing like poverty for women, like reproduction care, but I chose court, and I did court last year as well, and it’s just to help learn the foundation of what it’s like to be in a court, and the simulation of it, so you have the judge, you have the plaintiff, and the defense. And I think that’s a really great experience because we not only learn, but we also have fun as well.”

 

She said that although it was difficult at times, through the support of her mentors and peers, she was able to successfully complete the HACIA events, which she believes will influence her future success at the Young Global Scholars Program.

 

Sandra Lindo

“There were countless days where we’re working on these papers, getting all the research, all the notes, and I feel like that’s really going to help me with this program, because it’s going to keep me organized, and I’m going to, have an understanding of what the law is, thanks to this program and I was like, I really enjoyed it because I had to do judge a day. I had to do defense, and it really gave me an opportunity to give my strong points and say yeah, I really believe that this slate has the right, and as a judge, I had to listen to both sides, and it really helped to like, become me like which side do I want to take, and it was a hard decision overall.”

 

Sandra’s teacher, Judy Carillo, was not only a mentor at the HACIA program, but also a great support to Sandra during her application process, encouraging her, as well as writing a recommendation letter.  According to Carillo, she had no qualms about writing a recommendation for Sandra since she has always been a hardworking and dedicated student, who she believes will be a great ambassador for Belize.

Judy Carillo, Sandra’s Teacher

“So last year Sandra approached me and asked me if I can complete her recommendation form for this program and I have always admired Sandra because despite the challenges she has gone through she has always remained consistent and determined to engage in any activity that will contribute to the career she wants to pursue in the future. And I did so happily and with the hope that she would be accepted because I know it’s a great opportunity for her to develop her leadership skills but also get more exposure into what it takes to be part of that career that she wants to pursue.”

 

Sandra’s Mother, Souad Barrow recalled what it was like receiving that call from her daughter, informing her that she’s been accepted to the program.

 

Souad Barrow, Sandra’s Mother

“Overjoyed and proud would be an understatement to say, I started crying immediately. I think Sandra did as well. And then we just cried on the phone for a bit. They’re all saying that fisha man noh say ih fish stink. I have nothing but pure joy to speak about how wonderful a child Sandra is. “Her empathy and love for her community, her family, and especially her little brother, always amaze me. Sandra will come and say, Mom, I have an idea and I go, Oh, here we go again. And it would be a cleanup program or she did a fundraising with her sister and brother fundraising for Christmas to raise toys and food for the children’s home, Liberty Children’s Home. This is the third time she’s done an event like that. She does clean up. She does everything under her sun. Sometimes I say, take a break.”

 

Barrow said that her daughter has always had law influencing her life, as both parents, and several family members are lawyers.

 

Souad Barrow

“She is a lover of the arts. She’s a lover of Belize. And she comes from a long line of law influenced people. She has grown up around lawyers. She’s seen her dad go study. I’ve studied from here, long distance. She’s been with Honorable Senior Counsel Dean Lindo, who has been a role model for her. And she always says the term touch your brother light and watch the field because of him. So she’ll watch and say I think I want to do this and think is not, not in her vocab. She goes straight on, head on.”

Sandra hopes that she can attend Yale as a student one day but is open to keep trying for other schools as well. She said that Belizeans should apply for more programs like this because anyone can achieve it if they don’t give up.

 

Sandra Lindo

“Dreaming is not only about believing but achieving and I felt so proud of myself that I’m like one out of ten thousand out of one hundred fifty countries. And I feel as a Belizean, I’m very proud, because I’m like, not many of us have this opportunity, and I’m happy to like, put us on the map more, and further our things. But I feel like everyone has a chance, like if they have this dream, they should go for it, and they should achieve what they want.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.