Jolyn A. JnoBaptiste tops Bregado Flax at NSLE
JnoBaptiste is a student of the Bregado Educational Centre – Secondary Division on the sister Island of Virgin Gorda, claimed the position ahead of her peer Allydah V. George who came in second and Kasim R. Clarke who came in third for the school.
“To be at the top of my class I had to work really hard and I’m happy that it paid off in the end. I had a lot of support from teachers, friends and family. I could not have done it without them. The teachers at Bregado Flax are always willing to give that extra help or just a word of encouragement,” JnoBaptiste told this news site in an exclusive interview yesterday June 16, 2014.
“My friends, both at school and at church, always believed that I would be valedictorian and that encouraged me to do my best. My family also was very supportive and always encouraged me to do my best. I want to thank God for giving me the ability and opportunities to succeed in school and other aspects of my life,” she added.
Like her colleagues Allybah V. George and Kasim R. Clarke, she will heading on to the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in the initial stages. She aspires to become a veterinarian and plans to go on to University after her stint at the local college.
“I give God thanks for blessing Jolyn with intellectual ability. And I am proud of her that she has used this blessing well. I am happy that her hard work has been rewarded,” her mother Yolanda M. JnoBaptiste told this news site. Similar sentiments were expressed by parents of George.
“Polly (George’s mother) and I gave God all the glory for the blessings He has been bestowing upon our daughter, Allydah from preschool (where she learned to read at age 2) to the end of secondary school, where she has attained the position of Salutatorian. Her accomplishment is credited to her self-disciplined character and the constant support and encouragement she got from relatives, friends and teachers. We are very proud of her success at this level and hope that she would go on to bigger and greater things at the tertiary level and beyond” Mr Hilroy George told this news site.
George said that she has aspirations of becoming an Attorney-At-Law majoring in criminology. She said her little secret to her success was her ability to work by herself as she grabs the opportunity to prepare for the college style of working. This she said her father was very instrumental in helping her to cope.
Kasim R. Clarke has his eyes on majoring in Electrical Engineering. For his initial two years at the HLSCC he plans to general studies and afterwards it’s off to the Florida International University in the United States of America (USA).
His mother Mildred C. Walters-Clarke said that his performance was no surprise as he has always been on the school’s honour roll throughout.
Principal of the Secondary Division of the school Mrs. Carlyn D. L. O’Neal said that the performance this year fell below that of last year. She said that there were a number of challenges within the community that may have had an influence on the students. This was also coupled with a number of internal challenges including shortage of teachers and some being absent for various reasons for very long periods.
“I think they were not as energetic to reach the highest as others of the previous year,” she said.
She said that she was particularly proud of those who, despite their challenges, were able work hard and achieve grade 1s passes, “Those are students that I am really proud of because I recognize their diligence that they put into their work,” Principal O’Neal told this news site.
There was a 91% pass rate at Bregado Flax Educational Institute this year of the 34 students who wrote the School Leaving Examinations.
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