IT'S THE LIST every parent, primary school teacher and pupil look forward to at this time of year – the Top Ten students in the Common Entrance Examination.
And yesterday, a day after the official results came back, those who made the list were not only breathing a sigh of relief but rejoicing and celebrating at their respective schools.
They didn't let it go to their heads, however, as teachers reminded them that the work was only just beginning.
Many of them were back to their daily routines sitting among their peers in class, playing at lunchtime with friends and participating in sports and the arts.
Teachers at Luther Thorne Memorial Primary School were still grinning from ear to ear at the achievement of the No. 2 student in the island, Alicia Alleyne.
The dance enthusiast is headed for Harrison College in September after gaining 95 in maths and 95 in English with an "A" in the composition.
She had to settle for second spot after being beaten out of the No. 1 position by a fraction of a point, by this year's top student Ashley Inniss.
But the modest pupil, who one day aspires to be either a chef or doctor, is quite happy with her performance.
Alicia said studying hard and staying calm were the secrets to her success in the exam.
"I didn't want to get jittery, so I remained calm and listened to the advice of my teacher. I was shocked to hear I made the Top Ten list.
"One of my friends called me and told me they heard it on the radio but I didn't believe them until I came to school today (yesterday) and found it was true," said Alicia, who will be joining her older sister at Harrison College and hopes to one day become a Barbados Scholar.
The baby on the list is Danielle Forde, a Class Three student of Christ Church Girls' School, who got the seventh highest marks.
The timid pupil held her own among the older ones to score 97 in English, 90 in maths and an "A" in composition.
She will be attending Harrison College.
Class teacher Stephanie Goddard said Danielle was always ahead of her year from Class One and she was proud not only of her performance but that of the entire Class Four at the school.
Danielle wants to be a paediatrician because she loves children.
Sadio Gollop of St Angela's School is the school's victrix ludorum and also their top student. She placed ninth on the list with 93 in English, 94 in maths and an "A".
The top athlete and avid swimmer wants to be a veterinarian. She said she had to make a lot of sacrifices to excel, like cutting out television altogether as well as her favourite fictional books.
"I feel really happy [about making the list]. I read mainly English and maths books," said Sadio, who is also going to Harrison College.
Jonathan Cumberbatch of St Paul's Primary School, which also produced the island's top boy, Jason Gaskin, never believed he would score enough to be among the Top Ten students.
"I didn't think I would come in the Top Ten – the Top 20 maybe, but not the Top Ten," said a still shocked but elated Jonathan.
It was a mixture of time management and the discipline learnt from his judo classes that was his recipe for success, he said.
He scored 96 in maths, 91 in English and a "B". The articulate pupil will be taking his smarts and judo to Queen's College in September.
And it seems that making the Top Ten has its rewards for Jonathan.
"I'm getting a prize for going to the school I wanted and coming in the Top Ten – a trip to St Lucia, a new video game and a Sony Ericsson cellphone," he said proudly.
Principal Sandra Small-Thompson and Class Four teacher Rochelle Brewster were elated to have two students in the Top Ten, though it was not a first for the school. They also boasted of having produced the pupil who placed eleventh overall.
