“I have learnt that some persons have dreams but they don’t know how to start living their dreams. Some persons get a kick start from the inspiration of others and that is one reason I am so open to sharing my life, passion and aspirations because I am confident that through me someone somewhere will find the courage to get up and chase after their dreams,” said Mr Garnet.

Although not a money earner at the moment, Garnet fits the bill of a professional in the context of the Merriam-Webster Dictonary's interpretation of a professional also being someone who follows a line of conduct as though it were a profession.

As a young professional, staying focused is the first step to maintaining a high level of professionalism for Mr Garnet A. Vanterpool Jr., who grew up on the island of Virgin Gorda, and is a current junior at the City College of New York where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Biology with a minor in Spanish.

“A known passion of mine would be languages and I hope to be fluent in both Spanish and Japanese. Upon completion of this degree I hope to take my academic success to medical school, in which I hope to study ophthalmology. Studying ophthalmology would make me eligible to become an ophthalmologist. This career choice was not easy, especially when you factor in how it will be beneficial to the Virgin Islands. Considering this very important factor along with my passion for math and science, I then knew exactly what I wanted to do. That was to become a doctor, ”he said while speaking with Virgin Islands news online from his second home in New York, USA.

As the old saying goes, “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy” and Garnet stays firm to this belief which led to him becoming the President of the Caribbean Students Associate, exactly one year after he started his tertiary education. Being the President brought many hardships, which led him to believe that he was definitely on the road to success.

As Garnet overcame those trials, he said that he always told himself, “When everyone else isn’t watching, there will always be someone else watching.”

“With that, I am proud to say that I am to receive the Frederick Douglass Leadership Award on February 5, 2013. This award is proof that hard work really do pay off with the help of time. To complement my success I am also a three-time rookie of the week, and a proud member of the City College of New York’s Track and Field Team. Being a President and a member of Track and Field team really enhanced my ability to become a team player and a role model,” said an emotional Garnet, emotional because he has no regrets in fighting against the many adversities that had presented themselves along his journey, a journey, according to him“has only just begun”.

Along with schooling, he is also very involved in the New York community. The club under his leadership took on the community by force, assisting associations such as; Bike New York, in which they taught Kids and Adults alike to learn how to ride bicycles, and Million Trees, in which they helped plant thousands of trees throughout the New York area.

“Living in New York is great. There is everything you can possibly think of in here. The reason why I chose to live here was to experience something new, something that I’ve never experienced before, and that was snow. Coming from the Caribbean, it is sunny all year round and I have to say I love the change of season; I also labeled my favorite season fall. The reason my favorite season is fall would be that the trees prepare themselves for the disasters that the winter brings, so they can persistently stay sturdy until the spring, so they bear beautiful flowers,” said Vanterpool Jr.

Most persons would have an idol, but he idols, and of course topping the list are his parents Grace S. Vanterpool, and Garnet A. Vanterpool and the rest of his family. “I am forever grateful of the sacrifices that they would have endured to give me a better education than they had, and that alone gives me the strength to persevere at everything I do. Whether it is Track and Field, my studies, or even being a President, they will tell me do my best no matter what it takes, and I am thankful.”

“The only thing I would want for the Youth back at home would be to make something of themselves. There are too many opportunities in the world for young people my age to be holding them self back from being over achievers. I wish that we as young people back in the Virgin Islands were more proactive than complacent; we want everything to be given to us without having to work for it. For those of you looking for a light, take this as your guide, lift your head up and head towards that goal. It is only a goal because you have not worked to surpass it yet, after you pass that goal; then you can call it an accomplishment.”

For Garnet A. Vanterpool Jr., giving back to places that would have nurtured him along his path to success is very important. He said that he feels no guilt in returning home to the Virgin Islands immediately after completing his studies, because along the way he is dedicating much energies in leaving his marks of gratitude in the city of New York as his way of saying “thanks for accepting me into your country, giving me the required tools to go back to the Virgin Islands to play my part in helping my country to one day become a developed island.”

Upon finishing his studies he would like to return to the Virgin Islands to open a facility, which will house different surgical floors specializing in all areas of the body. “I got that inspiration from the lack of surgical professionals on the Capital island,” he said.

But to say that this young man has his plate filled and might not find time to do other fun things as many other youths his age group would not be altogether true. Garnet and his buddies frequent the movies, and spend quality time ice skating, one thing he will definitely be missing when he returns home. But all would not be lost as he said he would ensure to make his way back to the US to satisfy that which he so loves.