Westmoreland youth aces 19 subjects despite tedious journey to and from school in St. James

Westmoreland youth aces 19 subjects despite tedious journey to and from school in St. James

October 12, 2020 1 By Horace Mills

A high academic achiever from Bethel Town in Westmoreland said she is definitely not a time waster – a declaration that was borne out partly in her daily commute to and from school.

Nevinne Blake recalled leaving home at 5:50 each morning to reach classes on time at Anchovy High School in St. James.

She was reading even while she waited for public transportation and during the average 30-minute journey to and from school.

“What I would do is use my phone and look at e-books and read them, so the time would not be wasted,” said the 19-year-old.

Her dedication to academics is reflected in her performance in two major types of exams set by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

They are the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

This year, Nevinne received the best grade achievable (Grade One) in all five subjects that she sat in CAPE (Unit Two). Those subjects are:

  • Physics – Grade One
  • Chemistry – Grade One
  • Biology – Grade One
  • Pure Mathematics – Grade One
  • Caribbean Studies – Grade One

Last year, the young scholar was successful in another five subjects in CAPE (Unit One). However, the grades were not all perfect.

She attained Grade One in Biology and Communication Studies, Grade Two in Physics and Chemistry, and Grade Three in Pure Mathematics.

In 2018, Nevinne bagged nine subjects at the CSEC level. Those subjects and grades are:

  • Biology – Grade One
  • Physics – Grade One
  • Chemistry – Grade One
  • Geography – Grade One
  • Human and Social Biology – Grade One
  • Mathematics – Grade One
  • English A – Grade One
  • English B (Literature) – Grade One
  • Electronic Document Preparation and Management – Grade One
  • Agricultural Science – Grade Two

Nevinne also consistently copped first place in academic performance in her class at Anchovy High.

“I am a person who strives to do the best at all times,” she declared, adding that she was determined to make her highly supportive mother proud. She was in first form in high school when her father died.

Nevinne, whose dream is to become a nurse or a pharmacist, has her sights firmly set on attending the University of Technology in Kingston. Due to financial constraints, she is hoping to land a scholarship to further her studies.

Nevinne, in the meantime, encourages students not to frown upon schools deemed non-traditional, noting that their ability to succeed is based on their drive and determination – not on the educational institution.

“A lot of people belittle students who pass for non-traditional high schools – and those negative comments can affect the student,” Nevinne reasoned.

“The school you attend does not define who you are as a person, but what defines you is what you are willing to aim for. Dream big.”

Nevinne, who was a prefect at Anchovy High, was also active in several clubs at the school.

Editorial Note: The information used to produce this story was provided by the state-owned Jamaica Information Service.


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