Raquel Blossom Frederick tops in A’Levels

Another flower is blossoming in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and her name is Raquel Blossom Frederick.{{more}}

With two As in Economics and Accounting in this year’s Cambridge International Advanced Level Examinations, added to her two distinctions in Mathematics and Communication Studies in Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), Frederick has every reason to be thrilled.

Preliminary results suggest that she is the top performer in this year’s advanced level examinations. Raquel therefore will definitely be in the running for a national scholarship, whether it be six, eight or ten on offer.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves was so impressed with what he saw of the 2007 May/June CAPE preliminary results, that he promised to up the number of scholarships on offer to ten if the Cambridge International examinations results showed similar excellence.

But right now, he has offered to increase the national scholarships to eight this year, up from six last year.

“We have to reward our students when they come up to the mark…I told them repeatedly, I say to the students you do well we will give you more scholarships,” said Dr.Gonsalves.

Raquel, 18, who certainly represents what Dr Gonsalves is impressed with told SEARCHLIGHT that while she was confident she did agonize a bit over the results.

“I agonized a bit, I guess like everyone else, but then I just put it in God’s hand,” Raquel said.

She said that she was both thrilled and relieved that it was all over and was now looking forward to start her studies in Actuarial Science in one year’s time.

“I don’t know where yet, but I know what I will be studying,” said the youngest of the three daughters of Insurance Executive and pastor, George Frederick, and veteran educator Elsie Frederick.

She admits that her father’s career in insurance has influenced her choice of Actuarial Science.

“He certainly influenced my choice, he never pushed me into it but his career sparked the interest,” she said.

Racquel was a student of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, which saw a general improvement in results over last year.

One hundred percent pass rates in Psychology, Art and Design and English Literature led the way in this year’s six percent improvement. Accounting, Law and Geography all had outstanding results with a pass rate in excess of 80%.

Four hundred and sixty-nine students wrote A’ levels this year, 268 from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College and 201 private candidates. This is a dip from the 599 students that wrote the exams last year.

Three students gained passes in four A’ Levels, 36 in three, 84 in two and 85 in one. In 2006 and 2005 the number of students who gained passes in four A’ Levels was five and eight respectively.

Those who passed in three A’ Levels were 45 in 2006 and 48 in 2005, while those who passed two were 80 in 2006 and 104 in 2005.

Candidates wrote examinations in eighteen (18) subjects.

Spanish and French, which were previously offered at Cambridge were taken this year at CAPE. Candidates also replaced General Paper with CAPE Communication Studies. There is also a move away from Mathematics at GCE to CAPE. The majority of candidates who were offered this subject wrote the CAPE Examination.