Cherrianne tops in CSEC

Many students who had exceptional performances at the 2012 CXC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Common Entrance Exams were last Friday awarded for their efforts at a National Awards Ceremony.{{more}}

In her welcome remarks, Chief Education Officer Lou-Anne Gilchrist told students that their journey to success had just begun.

“You are nowhere close to the finish line with regard to your academic achievements or your psychosocial and spiritual development,” Gilchrist said. “I, therefore, implore you to aim for excellence in all of your endeavours and not to rest on your laurels”.

In addition to the many individual awards given out at the ceremony, schools were awarded for their students’ overall performance.

For yet another year, the Girls’ High School was awarded for being the school with the best CSEC results. The award for the school with the most improved results went to the West St George Secondary School, while the award for school with best results after remediation was given to the Bishop’s College Kingstown.

Amidst the excitement were two young ladies who worked hard to achieve great success.

With 12 subject passes, including 11 grade ones, Cherrianne Davis of the Girls’ High School received the award for Top Performer Overall at CSEC.

“Academically, Cherrianne did well and was able to maintain a 75.5 percent average at our institution,” said Andrea Bowman, the headmistress, in Davis’ citation. “Cherrianne took on the challenge of wanting to be the best in every subject area.”

When SEARCHLIGHT spoke with Davis, she expressed gratitude and extreme happiness for having earned herself such an award.

“It feels really great like even after it’s almost a year,” the Community College student said. “I was a bit anxious awaiting the ceremony, but now that I’m actually here, the feeling is coming back all over again.”

Studying math, physics and communication studies at the college, Cherrianne hopes to pursue studies in mechanical engineering in the future.

Speechless about her daughter’s success, Joslyn Foy also shared her elation with SEARCHLIGHT.

“I feel happy that I was a part of it. I’m very proud and happy because of all the hard work that we have done and I know that it has just begun,” she said.

Foy highlighted that it is imperative that parents work with their children when they have school work.

“Don’t just tell them ‘Okay you have homework, so go and do your homework’. You have to be there with them, do the homework with them…working with Cherrianne was as if I was back at school,” she explained.

Zonelle Simon beamed as she was bestowed a similar honour, the LIME award for the Top Performer Overall after Remediation.

Simon’s academic career was nothing short of an adventure, as she moved from the Stubbs Primary School to Belmont Government School before going back to Stubbs Primary to sit the common entrance examination.

The teenager began her secondary education at the Bishop’s College Kingstown, but was moved to the Emmanuel High School Mesopotamia after repeating forms three and four.

It was at Emmanuel that Simon sat her CSEC examinations and copped nine subjects, consisting of three grade 2s and six grade 3s.

“It actually feels nice and I’m very proud of myself. I did not expect to be here,” Simon said, glowing at her achievement.

Although she is currently studying history and law at the Community College, Division of Arts, Science and General Studies, Simon told SEARCHLIGHT that she is hoping to pursue studies in medicine next year.

The ambitious 19-year-old encouraged persons who are having a struggle similar to what she had, to always believe in themselves.

“Be yourself. No matter what people say about you; once you believe in yourself, you will know that you can excel,” she said.

Not only did Simon come out on top for performance after remediation, but she was also the top performer at CSEC for the Emmanuel High School Mesopotamia.

Rosalie Simon, Zonelle’s mother, was also speechless, but expressed great pride at Zonelle’s achievement.

“I’m so proud of my daughter,” she gushed. “At first, she was a slow learner…it was a tough task but she is now very successful”. (BK)