GHS – Continuously striving for excellence

At the St Vincent Girls’ High School (GHS), excellence is more than just a tradition; it is a quest that is pursued relentlessly.

Driven by the motto ‘Per ardua ad alta’ – through difficulties to the heights, GHS students have persistently climbed to the top, not only in academics, but also in extra-curricular activities. It is, therefore, no accident that the century-old institution, estabilished on May 8, 1911, has been acclaimed the Best Secondary School in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Acting headmistress Michele Beache emphasized that at the GHS, no girl is left behind. A very deliberate team effort is made to ensure that the young women who pass through its halls achieve success during their time there and beyond.

“I know that teachers work very, very hard; I know the students work very hard; I know there are parents who put in their work. I know that there are other persons, such as mentors and persons in the corporate sector who push the students as well. We work together to ensure that the students who come through these doors get the very best possible.”

The achievements of the past school year paint a vivid picture of excellence. There was something to celebrate each school term. In the first term, GHS won the public speaking competition, in which it was represented by Rhea Ollivierre. During the second term, the school placed second in the female division of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Competition, with Tamara Woodley emerging as victrix ludorum. Then in the third term, in addition to winning the schools’ division of the Junior Panorama competition, the GHS emerged winners of the RBTT Young Leaders Project, with a submission which Beache described as phenomenal.

“I have never seen a group of girls work so hard at so many different things and succeed at all of them, and I think that was something to be really applauded and celebrated. Their coordinating teachers, headed by Mrs DeRoche-John, would have worked tirelessly with them and once they brought a project up and they thought it through, they were able to implement with very little help from the adults themselves,” Beache said of the Young Leaders.

The icing on the cake of a year full of accomplishments was the CSEC results, for which the school achieved a 95.56 per cent pass rate, with top performer Iana Ferguson passing 19 subjects – 18 grade ones and 1 grade two. Betricia Stowe passed 13 subjects, while 10 other students attained 12 passes. While the school has been consistently outstanding in this regard, there is no room for complacency. The ultimate goal is a 100 per cent pass rate, which Beache hopes can be achieved this academic year.

“I am looking forward to great things from the fifth formers, because they are a really good bunch of girls. They are the ones who worked so hard with the Young Leaders and because they are extremely competitive, I know they are looking forward to getting the 100 per cent this year,” Beache said.

The GHS is not without challenges. Beache cited a reduced school budget, deteriorating facilities, and social pressures with which the girls are confronted as some of the difficulties which the school must overcome in its pursuit of success. However, she remains determined rather than deterred.

“We are a school with nearly 700 children and you will have issues, but we try our very best to address the needs of the children. When we think of excellence, we think of persons who are willing to work hard. No school that has determined that we are going to go with our students 100 per cent will not have good results.”

[UPDATED September 20, 2017 to correct the spelling of Rhea Ollivierre, Iana Ferguson and Betricia Stowe.]