A judge in the making | Pecco scores big at Linstead Primary

Perhaps we should get accustomed to saying Justice Kelicia Pecco. Why not?

The scenario is not far-fetched, considering the early signs of academic excellence being portrayed by the 11-year-old aspiring judge, who hails from Linstead in St Catherine.

Kelicia scored a 94 percent average in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and will attend Ardenne High School in St Andrew.

She is elated to have been awarded a place at her ‘first choice’ in terms of secondary school, based on her GSAT performance.

Kelicia attained 96 percent in Communication Task, 97 percent in Science, 94 percent in Mathematics, 91 percent in Social Studies, and 92 percent in Language Arts.

“I know that I did well, so there was no reason for me to be nervous,” Kelicia said, adding that her mother hardly ate for two days because of nervousness caused by the then impending GSAT results.

She credited her success partly to her teachers, including the ‘strict’ Sandrea Slabon-Cox, who teaches GSAT students at Linstead Primary.

Kelicia explained that preparation for GSAT was challenging. “We had extra lessons for two months leading up the the exams. Sometimes we reached home about 5pm. When I got home, I still had to study again.”

Kelicia Pecco. Photo provided

She said the pressure intensified when her father Jamaica Pecco was admitted to Kingston Public Hospital, and had to undergo major surgeries.

“That put a lot of pressure on me, my brothers, and my mother Kerica Josephs. But my mother keep on motivating me while she still had to visit my father who was still in hospital,” Kelicia explained.

Her parents, who often struggle financially to send her and her two brothers to school, are elated that their daughter did well.

“I am feeling very proud of my daughter,” the mother declared. “Her performance is always well in her academics over the years.”

Ms Josephs further told Jamaica Beacon that she expects her daughter to continue making the family and the country proud.

“In terms of parental support, we are always making sure she has everything that is needed although sometimes it may not seems easy,” she continued. “As it relates to secondary school, we expect a great performance from Kelicia because we know she has the ability.”

By Horace Mills

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