Sugar Mill Academy duo place 5th, first for girls

The top female performers in the 2016 Caribbean Exit Primary Assessment (CPEA) are pupils of the Sugar Mill Academy. Emma Rouse and Danielle Wright both placed first for girls and fifth overall

with an average of 94.40 per cent.

Rouse, the daugther of Samantha and Iran Rouse of Golden Vale, is a member of the La Gracia Dance Company and would like one day to become a professional dancer.{{more}} “My first choice is a dancer and I think my second choice would be a teacher… because I really like to dance and also I think I would make a good teacher,” the 11-year-old said.

Rouse said that to prepare for the exam, she would study at night and do practice papers and mock exams for each subject. In September, she plans to attend the St Vincent Girls’ High School.

Her classmate Danielle Wright told SEARCHLIGHT that she reduced time spent on her tablet to focus on her studies. Wright said on evenings, she would revise, do at least two past papers and research topics on the Internet. Additionally, she said that to keep her motivated, her parents Nicole and Fitzaudy Wright would give her treats when she did well.

“I just aimed to get in the top 10 and I am extremely happy.”

And, like Rouse, she would like to be a dancer, but would first like to become a medical doctor as she comes from a family of doctors. “I want to be a doctor because I want to help people and because it involves science,” the 12-year-old noted. She too will attend the St Vincent Girls’ High School in September.

Class teacher Hazell Agard said she was not surprised at the girls’ performance, since throughout the school year they were always ‘neck and neck’ in grades. “So when I got the results I was not surprised because they have really worked hard for what they got. They were consistent in all tests…they were always above 80 so I know that they were going to excel,” Agard said.

She noted that both girls are well behaved, disciplined and usually take responsibility for their learning. “They are the go getters…they would help peers, I can rely on them

if I am working in groups; I can rely on them … to

get the work done,” she said. Agard stated that she expects both girls to continue to be high achievers at secondary school. (CM)