Khaleel Hawkes – The Top PEP Student Starting Glenmuir In September
July 28, 2022Khaleel Hawkes will be the highest academic achiever entering grade seven at the revered Glenmuir High School in Clarendon in September.
His exceptional performance in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which is used for high school placements, is what sets him apart.
The 12-year-old attained the highest level of ranking (Highly Proficient) in all of the curriculum-based tests he did in PEP. They are Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics and Science.
Khaleel scored a whopping 98 percent in the Ability Test.
“To be honest, achieving these scores wasn’t so hard for me. I think it’s one of my natural talents retaining information easily. Of course, my friends too helped me as we studied together,” Khaleel told The Beacon.
His placement score of 398.2 is far above the national average and among the best in Clarendon.
“I feel proud of myself and confident that I will do as well in high school,” he said. “My biggest achievement so far is being the student with the highest score that passed for Glenmuir High School this year.”
Glenmuir was his first choice.
The young scholar, who hails from Four Paths in Clarendon, has his eyes fixed on becoming a mechanical engineer or a computer engineer.
He attended May Pen Preparatory School and subsequently Foundation Prep where he served as a prefect.
The transition between those two primary-level schools, Khaleel said, was bumpy.
“According to my mom, I was transferred due to a lack of challenge – and I agree,” he explained. “I was transferred to Foundation Preparatory School in grade three, but I completely fit in when I got to grade five.”
His dedication is among factors that fueled his drive.
In light of that, he encouraged his peers to “study hard, pay attention in class, and have friends that encourage you and help you to reach your goal”.
One of Khaleel’s grade six teacher, Latoya Bennett, who also is principal at Foundation Prep, stated that she is ecstatic about her school’s top student’s performance.
“We found him to be a disciplined, hardworking and dedicated student, and it’s no surprise that I am seeing him perform at the top because he has always been the top student at the school throughout the preparation for PEP and previous classes,” Bennett said.
In the meantime, Khaleel’s parents, Kadian Hawkes and Kyon Hawkes, are not surprised about their son’s latest achievement.
His mother described him as being rounded.
She added: “Khaleel is a smart, self-driven child who is extremely focused and organized as it relates to his school work. Khaleel is so focused that we are not worried about him for his academics. I can’t recall the last time I had to remind Khaleel to complete an assignment; that’s how self-motivated he is,” she told The Beacon. “He knows how to balance the requirements at school and the requirements at home.”
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