Let us introduce Janelle Lee Chee to the Catholic community. She is a very devout and ambitious 22 year-old who has spent the last three years awaiting the opportunity to pursue tertiary studies abroad.

We’ve used the term “waiting” very loosely for, as you will soon realise, this girl has been anything but idle these past three years.

Janelle Lee Chee

Janelle is innately intelligent, visionary and witty. When you become aware of her involvements you can’t help but marvel at her spirit and determination; especially when it comes to realising her dream of completing undergraduate studies in a developed nation.

This deep desire influenced her decision to move to England after completing her A-Levels at St Benedict’s College in 2003.

Though awarded the international student undergraduate scholarship for studies in Forensic Science & Genetics at Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge she was unable to enrol due to a lack of finance.

So she returned to Trinidad in 2005, after all efforts to petition for assistance proved futile.

Now don’t be misled, this young lady only packed her bags after sending detailed requests for assistance to many ministries and the offices of the Prime Minister and President; seeking the advice of the student counsellor at the Trinidad & Tobago consulate in the UK; sitting the SAT I and II exams while travelling through Ireland and England (with very impressive scores too); rallying with CAFOD (a UK Charity) - participating in the “Make Poverty History” protest in Edinburgh, Scotland at the start of the G8 summit.

Did we mention holding down a “regular” 8.00-4.00 job, an evening job as a waitress AND a weekend job as a bartender while pursing her passion – music?

Yes, somewhere, somehow, Janelle also found the time to enter and excel at many karaoke competitions, take performing arts classes at the prestigious Pineapple Performing Arts School in Covent Garden, attend Gym’s Music School in Vauxhall, London and score 98% in her first Royal Theory Exam.

She also copped the “Miss Photogenic” prize at the Miss UK Tropical Pageant and was a guest performer at the Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK Pageant in 2005!

Our time is not God’s time

Music matters to Janelle but so do people, parish and her country.  We had to ask: “How’d you do it?” She smiles shyly, lowers her head, then looks up and says: “Pray, then follow your heart. Tell Him what you want, then do what He tells you to do.”

She continues: “For a very long time I was hurt and confused. Everyone I knew was well on their way to accomplishing their dreams. My friend won an Open Scholarship and many of my peers either won national awards or were receiving some form of assistance from universities in the US. 

It seemed as though everyone I knew was living my dream and I could not figure out why what I wanted the most was being given to everyone else. I really felt as though I had done my research and my work.

I was an all rounder and was active in my school, church and community. I wasn’t born into a wealthy family but I always told God what I wanted and knew my lack of finances was no problem for Him. Things would happen, at the ‘right time’.

The obvious ‘right time’ was no more than a year after A- Levels, right? Wrong.  I’ve now learnt we can’t put a time limit on the requests we make of God and that old Christian saying, “Our time is not God’s time’ is very real to me.”

Her experiences in the UK taught her to follow her heart and never give up on dreams. She says her faith keeps her going and that God encourages her to keep fighting for what she believes in by speaking through the many people she’s come into contact with.

“Ever so often, God sends me an angel or speaks to me Himself. It’s amazing really how God can reveal Himself through friends, managers or even strangers. How do I know it is God? I feel a quiet stirring in my heart when they speak. I always ask for the ability to discern God’s voice.

Now I think I can. He gives me many experiences that I welcome and learn from. People often ask me how I cope but it’s quite easy and clear if it is God’s voice you’re following – just do as He says – and the instructions are usually quite simple.”

To her classmates who have either graduated or are about to graduate from university, she says “The harder the battle - the sweeter the victory.”

Money matters

Miss Lee Chee has been accepted to Michigan State University and was awarded the Global Spartans and International Student Scholarship. Her four years at MSU will still cost about US$128,000, but she has also been promised a more advantageous scholarship from Florida A & M University where she must contribute about US$48,000 over the same four-year period.

Since receiving this news last October, she has been creatively trying to raise these funds – working, giving extra lessons, even singing at weddings and funerals!

Her initial fund-raiser was the establishment of the Gold Group Performing Arts Company and their Performing Arts Camp (ages 4+) in August 2006.

Soon after she released a parang single, Navidad - It’s Christmas as a second attempt at fund-raising.

It was in collaboration with her past schoolteacher and renowned parandero, Philip Allard.

About 500 copies were sold nationwide and the song received airplay from the grassroots stations.

 She was even given airtime on Gayelle’s Macajuel Time where her rendition was warmly received. Miss Lee Chee is no stranger to the airwaves!

She was a contestant on the first TV6 Soundstage Series, Scouting for Talent and WACK 90.1 FM’s Ultimate Talent Contes -- The Stage where her R&B composition Yet still you love me was dubbed “…melodic and powerful” by local reporters. 

Originally from French Street, Princes Town, Janelle has truly dedicated her life to Church, community and parish activities. She has excellent inter-personal skills and loves to plan and organise events.

She was the PRO for the Triumphant Cross Youth Group (Holy Cross RC Church, Princes Town) from 1998-2000 and in 2002 she was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago contingent at the World Youth Day in Toronto.

We now know about her passion for music and the arts. She has competed successfully in Trinidad & Tobago Music Festivals for many years and in 2006 copped first place in the Ladies’ Mezzo- Soprano Solo and third place in the Ladies’ Oratorio.

In fact, she has written, co-produced and sung songs that span the genres; from her religious Spirit Song to her calypso Express Yourself that took her to the semi-finals of the National Junior Calypso Monarch in 2003 – the fist year she entered.

In 2002 she represented the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the School of Liturgy. 

Actually, the sole public performance of her Spirit Song was done during the talent night.  Last year she attended Liturgy School for a second time, representing her home parish of Princes Town.

On this occasion, The Hermitage became her home and its tenants her closest friends and family. There her talents and congeniality created an impression with the other attendees and she could have been seen singing in the choir, playing the organ, emceeing or partaking in the lecture series.

Janelle is a determined, compassionate and humble young woman who’s set on breaking moulds, realising dreams and making full use of the opportunities and talents God has given her.

As she continues to raise funds to support her cause, we would like to take this opportunity to ask that you give her not only your prayers but your full support. She’s planning a few small events between March and August this year with the hope of raising at least US$8000 before she departs in late August.

The first few events take place on the “Radical” – a 36ft long x 14 ft wide Sea Hawk vessel throughout March and April.

Be sure to look in the Classifieds section for upcoming collaborations with Janelle Lee Chee, LIC Entertainment & The Gold Group of Companies.

There’s a bit of Janelle in all of us. She could be our daughter, sister or mother! If only we were that committed and brave! Keep strong, Janelle and keep the faith. You will be richly blessed.