In recent times, Diego Martin North Secondary has grabbed news headlines for issues which negatively impacted the image of the school.
In January, three school boys were suspended after brutally beating a student from another school.
But a Form Four student there, Macklin Celestine, has been hoping to improve the image of the school on his social media platforms, mainly TikTok, by posting positive messages.
“So, basically the reason why I does put my lil positive messages in-between, because sometimes on the media I does see some children like my same age going to school fighting in they school clothes ... so sometimes I does try to make my lil positive videos to change the mindset they have,” Macklin said yesterday during an interview with Guardian Media.
Macklin, who has approximately 38,000 followers on TikTok, shares messages advising students against using drugs, engaging in promiscuity, and violence.
“Man talking bout (sic) six and thing, six, nine, seven, six, it ain’t have none of that with me, boy, you understand, fully Jesus Christ,” he said in one of his videos.
The teenager also uses his platform to discuss the gratitude students should have for their parents and teachers, as well as, the only leader he said they should follow - Jesus Christ.
Macklin said he’s not afraid of any backlash from spreading positivity because seeing his peers portray negativity online, he often feels embarrassed for his generation.
“I ain’t talking nothing bad, I talking thing positive, I ain’t warring nobody,” he explained.
The aspiring motivational speaker said students have messaged him and told him his videos inspired them to do and be better. He said adults also seem to appreciate his content as well.
“This is the first school child account I am following,” one TikTok user commented.
“We need more young fellas like you soldier. Great message,” another said.
The 16-year-old attributed the path he chose to his single mother, who he said instilled the right qualities in him and his siblings from a tender age.
“Basically, since small I grow up in a ghetto area and my mother used to teach me everyday ‘doh be like this or like that ’... she showed me that the badman life only have two parts —death and behind cell, so that is why I have that mindset,” he said.
Macklin said his most popular video was him talking about why there is no shame in eating box lunch.
“It’s the same food you eat at home,” was his message in the video.
The teen plans to continue to post positive messages on social media, especially against gang violence, which he believes has cut short the lives of many of his peers.