In life, some individuals stand out as beacons of inspiration and promise. Marika Baptiste, an 18-year-old national scholar from the quiet village of Fancy, is one such shining star.

Her remarkable journey from 2016, when she first spoke of her potential to “reach far and do great things,” to 2023, where she has amassed a treasure trove of accomplishments, is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Marika (centre) in 2020 when she was adjudged winner of the Lions Club St Vincent South Flow Secondary Schools’ National Public Speaking Competition.

In 2016, as an 11-year-old student of the Fancy Government School, Marika first made national headlines as one of two students who tied for first place nationally in Language Arts in the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA). She scored 94 per cent in the subject, placed fifth place for girls and 17th overall, setting a strong foundation for the years to come.

Even then, Marika, the daughter of Alfred Layne of Barrouallie and Bernadette Baptiste Patrick of Fancy had already exhibited a strong belief in her potential. She eloquently told SEARCHLIGHT: “I don’t care what they say because I know I have the potential to reach far and to do great things.”

Little did the world know then that those words were not mere aspirations but a promise of things to come.

Last week, on October 24, 2023 Marika was one of 26 graduates of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College who were presented with five-year National Scholarship awards at the Schools Independence Rally at Victoria Park.

Marika, who received the Louise Toney award for placing 12th among the 26 National Scholars told SEARCHLIGHT her next step is to pursue a course of study in biochemistry or biomedical science at university.

“I’m deciding between these courses because I want to either go into research or medicine and these courses give me the flexibility to do so and explore, until I zero in on an exact career path.I also plan to continue to do speaking during my down time.”

In her CAPE exams, Marika received grade ones for Units 1 and 2 of Chemistry and Physical Education & Sports; grade ones for Biology Unit 1 and Caribbean Studies and a grade two for Biology Unit 2 (which she is querying).

MARIKA BAPTISTE IN 2016 with her grandmother Juney Baptiste. On passing the CPEA, she asserted that she had the potential to do great things.

The National Scholar shared that before she left Fancy to attend the Girls’ High School (GHS), she wrote down a list of things she wanted to accomplish, and “I have always been determined to achieve them”.

On her journey to National Scholar, while at the GHS, Marika was the Victrix Ludorum in 2018 and in 2020 at the school’s annual sports meet. She was also the captain of the school’s netball team and vice captain of Headmistress house.

Marika was again in the national spotlight in 2020 when, she was adjudged winner of the Lions Club St Vincent South Flow Secondary Schools’ National Public Speaking Competition, taking the top spots in the student prepared speech and the impromptu categories on her way to victory.

When she wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) she obtained 10 grade ones and two grade twos.

In 2021, her name echoed beyond SVG, when in a continued demonstration of her public speaking prowess, she won the United States Embassy’s fourth annual Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (EC) Black History Month secondary school speech competition.

The following year, she secured the second place position at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Regional Tourism Youth Congress held in the Cayman Islands.

Baptiste started taking part in public speaking contests as a grade one pupil of the Fancy Government School and has won 10 such competitions so far.

“I want to ultimately leave the world a better place than how I met it. I want to make the name Marika Baptiste mean something worldwide and leave an impact on others that will last even when I’m no longer here,” she told SEARCHLIGHT when asked about her life goals.

As for advice for that little girl who would like to be the next Marika, she said: “Well I always like to say my favourite quote, which is one from Eleanor Roosevelt which says that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent and it’s something I live by, because despite how it may seem publicly, I too have had my setbacks and discouragements.

“But as cliche as it sounds, it’s so important to believe in yourself and to have a vision for what you want to accomplish…. So I’d tell them to believe in themselves and to dream big, but not only dream big but be willing to work even harder, because the only person who truly stands between what they dream and want to accomplish is themselves.”

Marika acknowledged and thanked Carleen Heather Marshall of Rillan Hill, which whom she has lived since she was in third form at the GHS. She described Marshall as her motivation.

She also thanked her mother Bernadette, grandmother Juney Baptiste, aunt Cindy Charles and mentor and teacher Jo-Ann Marshall who she says were always in her corner.

She further thanked her friends who braved the battles of school with her and assisted her when she needed it.