A Diamond in the rough

Gary Spaulding, Senior Staff Reporter

Two years ago, all hope seemed lost for the slender-framed child, just venturing into her teens. She was an authentic 'Diamond in the rough'.

With May being Child Month, Diamond, as she is called by family and community members, has demonstrated that recovery from any circumstance is achievable, with the appropriate will, attitude and fortitude.

Diamond was raised in a tough western Kingston neighbourhood. Growing up, she opted for the path of disobedience and impudence as she struggled long and hard to survive in a rough, poverty-stricken community.

"I usually disobey my mother, follow bad company, come home late at nights, and did just about everything that was bad," she told Outlook. "But that is all in the past now. I am better and I intend to stay that way," she vowed.

For about four years, the little girl careened recklessly from one pickle to another when her troubled young life suddenly caught up with her. She was snatched by the police when she got involved with a group of rowdy young men who attempted to sexually assault a group of girls.

Diamond was shunted off to a place of safety. Ironically, it was the Diamond Crest Juvenile Correctional Centre, located in Alligator Pond, Manchester.

There, she gradually yielded to the hands of trained specialists at the facility.

After spending three years away from home, Diamond has demonstrated that transformations are possible for disturbed youth.

By all indications, Diamond - bolstered by the guidance of her caregivers - has firmly closed the door on her tumultuous past.

When she returned home during Christmas of 2012, the positive signs surfaced like a gift to her loved ones. Her caregivers can celebrate that, at 15 years old, their little 'Diamond in the rough' has begun to re-emerge as a gem.

Skirts,
swimsuits and headwear run the gamut of the femalewear crafted by
Diamond's crochet needles. They were proudly displayed when
Outlook visited her home recently. The creations
reflect the skills she learned at Diamond
Crest.

Diamond's mother Juliet is no stranger to
tragedy and misfortune. It took her years to recover after she lost two
children in a fire. Juliette told Outlook that, for
once, she believes she has something to live for. She now walks with her
head held high and a new lease on life. Mother and daughter now go
everywhere hand in hand. "I feel very good, she is really doing
something with her life and she is studying," said Juliet of her last
child. "I like how she has changed as she was going on bad. I see where
she has turned around. I thank and I bless her for that. I just love how
she improving with the embroidering thing," she
added.

Tina, one of Diamond's neighbours, is also
amazed by Diamond's transformation. "She is way different from what she
used to be. You couldn't talk to her. Now, you can communicate with her
and she listens and attempts to avoid anything
unpleasant."

At the end of her time at the
correctional centre, everyone could see the noted change in
Diamond.

The assistant superintendent of the centre,
wrote on Diamond's report card: "She is an ambitious, hard-working
student … she has the desire to achieve greatness. If she continues on
the same path, she certainly will."

Diamond says her
ambition is to become a lawyer so that she can assist in redeeming youth
who have found themselves on the wrong side of the
law.

Smiling shyly, her hands clutching her mother's
arm, Diamond told Outlook, "I really would like to
study law to help others."

In February 2013, Diamond's
teacher, Nedra Barnett, appeared equally impressed with her
transformation and described the teen as a
prodigy.

"During her stay here, she has undergone
noteworthy transformation. She can be described as an intelligent,
ambitious, diligent student, with a thirst for
knowledge."

Report card

Diamond's
report card boasts grades ranging from 76 to 96.5 per cent - testimony
to the claims of the caregivers.

Many had all but
given up on her when she was younger. By her own admission, she reacted
to discipline with reckless defiance from she was about nine years old.
Diamond admitted that she took to the streets in open rejection of her
mother's commands, becoming promiscuous and defying all her mother's
rules.

As it is with the valuable stone of the same
name, Diamond was exposed to much 'cutting and carving' by the
caregivers at Diamond Crest.

Today, she has emerged as
a gemstone - a classic reminder that hard work does pay off and anyone
can be transformed.

Guidance counsellors are of the
view that continuous supervision will be necessary to keep children like
Diamond out of trouble.

Diamond revealed that she was
told that if she wanted to be that gemstone, she would have to do the
work to make it happen.

Now back in school under the
care of her mother, Diamond says her main priority is to find the
resources to advance.

She is in need of crochet thread
to continue on the new path on which she has
ventured.