How a Dominican student persevered despite the odds

Tarma Fontaine on her big day in her graduation gown.

Former Dominica Community High School student Tarma Fontaine has made a name for herself at the Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte (CPCC) despite some setbacks.

Fontaine was drawn to Charlotte by her now deceased uncle Steven St. Rose, who offered to help pay for her studies in the United States.

However, on Christmas eve her uncle passed away following a brain tumor surgery.

St. Rose had left just enough money to pay his niece’s tuition for a semester at CPCC and despite not knowing how she’d pay for the rest of her time at the College, Fontaine launched into her associate degree in sciences.

“I was sad when I arrived in Charlotte because my uncle had died but excited that I had the opportunity to study here to improve my education” she said.

Fontaine along with 600 students graduated this year. She wants to pursue a degree in civil and environmental engineering.

But she was not born with a ‘golden spoon’ in her mouth and she noted that had it not been for her perseverance she would not have gotten this far.

Her father is employed as a security guard for a petroleum company and her mother works at a local daycare center-hardly capable of sending her to school in the US with four other children at home.

“My uncle offered to get me started. It was a stepping stone for something bigger,”  she added.

Meantime head of the Dean of Students Life and Service Learning at CPCC Mark Helms says Fontaine has shown amazing tenacity and savvy in terms of sticking with it through many challenges.

Although she has had “curveballs thrown at her financially that would have made it easy to give up and go back home, but she hung in there with a positive attitude,” Helms recalled.

“She’s a success waiting to happen,” he added.

A Levin Scholarship paid $1, 250 per semester while a Lede4rs Promise Scholarship gave an additional $500 each semester.

The Government of Dominica also provided help for Fontaine while she earned the rest of her school tuition working jobs on campus including in the box office at CPCC’s Halton Theatre.

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43 Comments

  1. eyes_wide_open
    August 12, 2010

    All U dominicans too dammn jalouzie. Ms Fountaine told her story by her standards.
    If you think your story is more appealling then submit it to DNO.

    At the end of the day she has made a point that it is not easy to obtain a degree
    when you have financial constraints.
    so STFU, its irrespective of an Associate, BA, MA or PHD!
    She is on a journey so give her a break. what about the thousands of Dominicans
    here who have no dream at all advance thier qualifications or strive for betterment, or the
    numerous high school drop outs. She could easily have been in that class.
    This girl is going to make something of herself and I applaud her, and she will reach the PHD level.

    Stop blaming the Government. Go make things happen for yourself.
    Its not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country!
    you can work 3 or 100 jobs in the US to survive, why can’t you do the same in Dominica? Fools!

    Dominica is ours to build. I strongly disagree with selling yourself and values to survive.
    Pride in self pride in country. One destination, Success. different routes. Clean hard way or the Dirty easy way!

    To all the Haterz (@Gouvelmar, @Not impressed, @just giving my two cents, @HmmHmm etc) thinking this story should not be told, go blog yours instead.
    I was inspired…Ms Fountaine, and wish you all the best as u continue to persevere despite the odds.

  2. student
    August 12, 2010

    Keep it up young lady. Keep going and going. I am a Dominican with a greedcard, which helps me out a whole lot. But yet still i appreciate every single dime/aid they give. I recently graduated with an asssociates degree in Business Management, with a GPA of 3.83. Now i am contiuing my education. Because of my GPA i have gotten grants and scholarships there and there. I said all of that to say this. Continue studying really hard, look out for many little scholarships they have out there to give. Write Essays to the organization letting them know whats going on, you never know they may be willing to help you out. One organization may tell another and keep it going. I have a friend who was in the same situation and i gave her that advise. Look she is done with her BA and looking forward to getting her masters. People may say do not beg, but when it comes to doing good for yourself put away that lil pride and do your thing. I wish you all the best in furthering your education. I am proud you

  3. nexxt
    August 11, 2010

    @sandman: Correction to that very inncorrect statement” Even if you a U.S citzen if you rub the law in the wrong way it have a very high chance they can deport ur rass”. The CANNOT deport you if you are a US Citizen. Further, if you are living like a 2nd class citizen in your own country why can you not go elsewhere to do it? Immirgrants have done it for years. The beauty of it is that they do not do it forever. They progress get there residency and live just like the rest ! Your job is to stay in DA and build it as you sound like those house slaves that getting the table scraps. When tings get hard DA is our country and there we will run back and take what it have as we would have no choice but unless that happens, there are choices and I encourage all young persons to make use of it!

  4. Poorbutnotathief
    August 11, 2010

    Keep it up girl! Go for your goal. Your uncle is no longer here and your parents are not able to help; therefore, however which way you can help yourself, and in the long run, help your family I say CONGRATULATIONS. By-the-way, when I say however which way you can help yourself, I mean positively. Don’t do anything to hurt your future.

  5. sandman
    August 11, 2010

    @just giving my two cents:

    wtf wrong with you jed? atleast say go foreign get your education make your money then come back home and build options for the generations after you. No matter where you go in this world you will always be 2nd class jed. Even if you a U.S citzen if you rub the law in the wrong way it have a very high chance they can deport ur rass.. you aint born on the soil you aint 1st class. Support your country. Build options for the youts after us. Make a difference. I’m working on my commitment. When Babylon go down to hell is D/a u gan rum back anyways.

  6. or
    August 11, 2010

    @Not impressed:
    These words are not coming from a PHD student!!
    Trust me! If you are ohhhhh boy it surely will not help you in the long run.
    let’s encourage each other

  7. just giving my two cents
    August 11, 2010

    i agree with Gouvel – go foreign do whatever you have to do to survive. In dominica – if you’re poor – chou poul – there is not much option for you after you are done with college if u can’t afford university. My advice – find money – go foreign – do whatever it takes to make it ….

    so i say – work hard, persevere – there is no Dominican dream – cha! There is an American dream which everyone can aspire to have – so i say leave DOminica and go make your dreams elsewhere. At least in foreign you can struggle and you will eventually get somewhere – but in D/ca – there is no way up….struggling gets u nowhere

  8. Not impressed
    August 11, 2010

    @Why are Dominicans SO negative?!:
    Jealous of what? How could someone doing a doctorate be jealous of someone doing an associate degree. He is several rungs above her in the educational ladder. Get real and up your ante.

  9. soooo
    August 11, 2010

    i understand that this young lady has faced struggles but i don’t see the point of this article since there are people who have had far greater struggles than that…should everybody’s story be published too???..

  10. yes
    August 11, 2010

    @HmmHmm:

    Yes I agree; this is the level at which we determine perseverance and to add to the list sometimes you have no family and you are in a strange country alone; but you have to do it because you know what you left behind; a mother without a job a father who proudly says this is my child but refuses to support and help and younger brothers and sisters looking up to you as a role model saying they will be like you one day. I commend this young lady on what she is doing but there are others out there who never had the start from any uncle, aunty, or any one for that fact.
    Good luck to you young lady and hmmhmmm I’m with you on that and if you did it and made it hats off to you.

    Yes!!!!

  11. Why are Dominicans SO negative?!
    August 11, 2010

    I mean really, really negative! Just admit you are jealous.

    @HmmHmm maybe you are just jealous because no one told YOUR story! Stupes.

    Tarma, stay positive m’dear. Perseverance is the key to success. Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.

  12. superstar
    August 11, 2010

    I agree with govelmar, sadly, that is nothing to put in the news, further more she could have done that in DSC, there are people have succeeded under far worse conditions. Be realistic, if it was so difficult to get an Asc. I doh seeing a Phd.

  13. Don't want to but...
    August 11, 2010

    @Gouvelmar: i dont want to agree with you and on most of you point i dont but noetheless there is alot of truth to what you are saying. Survival is the name of the game, i live overseas and the country i’m in hates outsiders mostly because they are more ambitious and hard working than the locals thus get the better paying jobs and have more to show for their hard work.DA is different so many people willing to work hard but the better jobs are given to who know who and the foreigners in this case the Asians,,,,,,,, sad but true in a few years dominica will no longer belong to the dominicans!!! God help the politiciams who sold out the country!!!!

  14. Great!!
    August 11, 2010

    Good job. keep up the fight and hard work to get where you want to be education wise! You have actually inspired me to continue my studies!! Thank You!

  15. Not impressed
    August 11, 2010

    An associate degree? This should not even be published. I thought she was doing a masters or a Phd. DNO please get me an inspiring story.

  16. concern
    August 10, 2010

    Congratulations are in order Ms Fontaine……..anyone who knows the value of education will understand that you achieved a milestone. This is the beginning to and end, no matter the size, the value is you achieved something successfully in an effort to develop yourself academically and meeting new people who were role models ………….when you completed the first degree let the world know.good is good no matter the size or number……….I encourage as a woman since I have made sacrifices to further myself although I am a mother.my children were not obstacles, so therefore nothing should be an obstacle when you plan to educate your self. Hearts of to your uncle and letr his children or family carry the good name for his mentor………Put God in everything that you do and you will continue to succeed.

  17. Just wondering
    August 10, 2010

    While I admire this young lady’s accomplishment I do not see anything in the story to warrant “How a Dominican student persevered despite the odds”. The topic attracted me but after reading the story, scholarship, assistant from the government and her uncle I don’t understand why this story compared to many other noteworthy stories was published.

    Countless Dominicans move to developed countries to pursue their education, with no help from government, inability to get scholarship because they are “international students and should have their money to pay tuition” and they hold their heads up, work multiple jobs, earn top degrees with honors, and get some of the best paying jobs/careers. Where are their stories?

  18. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    @HmmHmm: Exactly ! not trying to steal her fame but some of us hard to endure much more and still made it ! The government of the day, irrespective of who is in office should just say no or honour their committments to students! it is wrong to mislead people like that !

  19. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    @Anonymous: Well it is a reality ! Agree or not some of us have what it takes to survive!>

  20. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    @all-in-1: Hahha ! Jealous?? But wait you sick in your head? De girl just have an associated degree that means nothing in today world. Honey I have a Master degree. All paid for but myself ! I did what i had to get where I wanted ! get a grip ! Youa re the uneducated fool in Dominica Gwyahing like any old chicken ! Gwayah !

  21. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    @Dominican in the BVI: If you soo Dominican proud whatde hell you doing IN BVI ? Cleaning sick people boom boom and for a living with no education? You illegal there ! A non belonger . Shame i have de greencard doh ! by any means possible stupid !

  22. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    @Dominican in the BVI: haha ! highest level educated. Stay in Dominican and rotten. Try reading a book you uneducated degenerate fool.. I am one who make things happen, you are one of those who wonder what happened. Stay there still !

  23. Anonymous
    August 10, 2010

    Very good, you’d be amazed how many d/ca students abroad are struggling.. I know one girl who slept on a church bench for instance… it is hard out there.. good job!

  24. August 10, 2010

    @Gouvelmar: this is stupedity to its highest levle.

  25. HmmHmm
    August 10, 2010

    Not trying to steal your sunshine but I was really expecting like a PHD or a Masters……I mean common, an Associate’s degree is 1.5 years (same at Dominica State College)…..that is not hardship.

    Some types of hardship:

    Leaving home at 5am in the middle of winter, below zero temperatures to get to school for 7am and being on time and present every time, and not returning home till 9pm

    Clipping Popeye’s $1.99 coupons to buy lunch

    Working 2 jobs both at minimum wage and still can hardly pay rent and buy a metro card.

    Not having enough money on your phone to even make the call to add credit to your phone………lol

    Coming home to your relatives home and no dinner even though you pay for food every month, and you are not allowed to cook your own food

    Winter has started but your relatives refuse to turn on the heat because they watching their gas bill.

    And the list goes on………..

    AND, still graduating in the top 10% of your class of thousands in record time, with no help from Government.

    But keep going my dear, waiting to hear when you get your doctorate.

  26. Anonymous
    August 10, 2010

    Gouvelmar , u r soo funny, I did not agree with ur 1st post at all but I dif. think u r funny!

  27. yoyo(London Crew)
    August 10, 2010

    Please!!!!!!

  28. BOSS LADY
    August 10, 2010

    why do they hv to publicize that??I mean ya u go through ur struggles but nearly all students going overseas to study go through stress…some get put out of apartments cuz they couldnt pay rent and some stay with family and are ill treated but stay cuz of school..I mean that is nothing…at least she get help so boo hoo!!!Its great that she completed but I dont see the point in the article…chupes

  29. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    Come back home?? To do what! haha ! if all you see my DNA all you good ! After all you leave me stranded and have to survived hell and fire I must come back to Dominica to see the same people get high offices? Sorry! I prefer to work 3 jobs including a Wal-Mart side job to make it. That is much better that coming back to DA. Let who getting the high offices and perks develop it. The sad thing is I know of person close to the powers that be who got $30,000 in one shot for school and US $2000 they promised and I had to be embarrassed and dragged in the mud! Do not even go there with all you develop Dominica. You the same people saying that are the ones killing it with politics and sabotage and making all the progress regress ten folds. My advice to any young Dominicans, try to make a little money, see if an aunt, cousin, friend can give you a little charity and buy your ticket and leave. Do all you have to do to survive because no one in Dominica cares what happen to you. Marry a man or woman, pretend to love them if you must and once you get the green card leave them. Change your name, change your number, change your state and create your opportunity. No one can judge you. Ethics has nothing to do with this it is called survival.

  30. all-in-1
    August 10, 2010

    @Gouvelmar: 1. THE gOVERNMENT CANNOT HELP EVERY STUDENT. 2. I DETECT A HINT OF JEALOUSLY IN YOUR COMMENT NEVER MIND YOUR SAYING I AM HAPPY FOR HER. 3. YOU DO NOT GIVE FEEDBACK BY SAYING ONE THING AND THEN CONTRADICTING IT. 4. CHECK YOUR SPELLING BEFORE SUBMITTING

  31. Domincan overseas
    August 10, 2010

    That how u appreciate ur accomplishment, by working hard
    nothing good comes easy, when u work hard at something u tend to
    appreciate it more . Me too had a tough time getting my degree
    but in retrospect i am happy i experienced these challenges
    they made me stonger and i can testify and encourage someone
    how to endure because nothing good comes easy. To all those
    who are waiting, do not give up ur dreams persue ur dreamsand the Govt
    cannot help everyone. Congratulations to this young lady.
    God bless my country

  32. or
    August 10, 2010

    @Gouvelmar:
    For some of us Student in the US it’s not much of an achievement.
    But we should encourage each other. She is heading in the right direction!!! AND REMEMBER HER UNCLE PASSED!
    I can understand you mad with the government. Because I HAD MY SHARE OF PROMISES FROM THEM TOO

  33. hippssy
    August 10, 2010

    @Gouvelmar: do not get me wrong,i am happy for her,but i agree with what u said.all now my letter from government promising me help is rottening.

  34. Just simple
    August 10, 2010

    congratulations and best wishes in your future endeavour

  35. Patriot
    August 10, 2010

    While i am not sympathetic to this young lady’s ordeal, I must say there are many who have gone through far worse than this and have not publicized it. Infact they are working on island, making their contribution to the Dominican society. I only hope that this young lady, after having received so much assistance, especially from the Government of Dominica can see it fit to come home and make a contribution to her country.

  36. or
    August 10, 2010

    Strong and determine young lady! Congrats on your first step. Welcome to the student life. Lots of Dcans students can testify about the hardship of paying tuition and bills.
    Many challenges are ahead, I can promise you that!! But you showed some of the willpower to move on.
    Note “She’s a success waiting to happen,” This means there is a lot to be done. Don’t be satisfied with an associate degree in sciences. Cause associate degree in sciences is nothing!
    Good luck!!
    Let’s make a difference

  37. POSITIVELY DOMINICAN
    August 10, 2010

    I admire your resilence and tenacity! Determination and perseverance = Succcess! Well done young lady! Keep striving to the top. The sky is the limit!

    Proud Dominican!

  38. DA4LYFE
    August 10, 2010

    Congrat’s…I wish you all the best and keep your head…real talk

    DA4LYFE

  39. reds........
    August 10, 2010

    at the end of it you will def appreciate all the hard work you put…big up and guidance……keep the faith………..walk by faith and not by sight and it will fall in place my dear……….

  40. Gouvelmar
    August 10, 2010

    At least she got assistance from the Government. Many of us just got a letter promising assistance and the governmnet renege on it. Quickly finding our self in situations ofr being reported to the Credite Beaureau, Credit Collection and threat of deportation yet we survived. Should I be impressed with this??

  41. Justice is better than peace
    August 10, 2010

    Great work young lady;”never give up there’s always a way”

  42. Anti-hate
    August 10, 2010

    keep striving…

  43. Karkabeff
    August 10, 2010

    What a beauty! Keep on persevering for the reward is around the corner. May Jah bless and guide you in your quest for success. You have the spirit of a true Dominican embedded in you.

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