had to speak in front of lots of parents. Effectively, my confidence began to grow and public speaking became comfortable for me - regardless If I repeat a few words I also benefitted from the character building sessions; having talks with Coach Corey and others about life made self-evaluation easier and therefore allowed me to grow with a greater mindset towards things.
During year 10, mathematics was a terrifying subject for me. Examinations would just intensify my anxiety, stress until my self-belief became non-existent. It struck me how others would believe in me, my parents would believe in me, my coaches would believe in me, NEJR would too, but I didn't. On that account, my commitment towards becoming a better me picked up. As a result, 7 I got A-A* results in my GCSEs, received a total of $163,000 scholarship money and am going to pursue a bachelors degree in Mathematics at Salve Regina University with the intent of getting into Data Science."
**Donnie was also able to develop his interest in technology through the program - leading him to design this website.
Donnie Aikins
"I have been a part of the NEJR program since I was 12 years old (year 7). And, because of this program, I have been able to grow and mature in preparation for adult life. During this journey; I had to overcome the lack of confidence, stuttering, anxiety, lack of fitness & leadership and most importantly, belief in myself. But even as a member of this program and its core values, I always attempted to push those barriers to the back of my head and ignore them. As time went on, those barriers and little nuances would show up again and again. So, I decided to dedicate my full effort and time into the program. Coach Corey and the rest of the program undoubtedly stuck with me and supported me. With this support, I was fortunate enough to go on international trips to Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Spain and the USA. As mentioned above, stuttering was something that I had to get through; although I disliked it, I found myself speaking a lot. We fundraised outdoors, we had presentations in front of businesses, and, being head boy, I've