Raquel Frederick is the Girls’ High School (GHS) Student of the year. The sixteen year old emerged tops among the highly competitive graduating class of 2005.

Graduation day, Tuesday, June 28, was indeed her shining moment. She received special awards for Integrated Science, Principles of Accounts, Business Studies and the Millicent Byron award for History for the 2004/2005 year, as well as the 1st prize for Form 4B in the 2003/2004 school year.{{more}}

A well rounded student, the top performer was a member of the GHS steel orchestra, the drama club, Junior Achievers, and a Library and Form prefect. In the citation read by her Form Teacher, the tall, slender young lady with a ready smile was praised for her honesty, integrity and trust worthiness, and what GHS Headmistress, Andrea Bowman described as “genuine childlikeness”. Her deportment in school was described as impeccable.

Raquel, the baby of her family, is the third daughter of Insurance Executive and Pastor, George Frederick and his wife, Elsie, an Educator by profession.

In her valedictory address, young Frederick thanked God, whom she said is the “premium source of strength.” Speaking on behalf of her graduating class, she also thanked their parents and teachers, saying that it was their faith and prayers that fuelled them to forge ahead.

Raquel plans to go on to the Community College, where she hopes to do well enough to win a national scholarship in pursuance of her ultimate goal, that of becoming a Financial Advisor.

Acknowledging that they, the members of the graduating class were not yet adults and still needed their parents’ guidance, she nevertheless urged the parents to give them “space to grow, to pursue our goals.”

It must not have been an easy task to select the valedictorian from what appears to have been a graduating class of high flyers. Among them was Jordanna Laborde, daughter of Calvin and Ira Sandy of Lodge Village, who was awarded for being the best performer in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics.

The class also included national secondary school public speaking champion Jo-Ann Marshall who walked away with the Governor General’s prize for English and an award donated by the Branch sisters for the student who best exemplifies the school spirit.

Twenty seven other graduates were awarded prizes in 25 additional categories.