She’s quiet and unassuming, but 11-year-old Keyla Harewood is a power-packed lass, who copped five top awards during this year’s 11-Plus Common Entrance Examination.
In addition to her academic successes, she has also made her mark in the areas of netball, athletics, culinary arts and dance.
Keyla, the daughter of Ricardo and Pamela Harewood of Belleplaine, St Andrew, was named the 2010 Top Student at St Andrew’s Primary School after gaining a score of 243.82 in the 11-Plus Examination.
She copped 91 in English and 93 in mathematics. She also took the prize for Most Improved Student; Top Overall Student in English, Top Female Student in English, and Top Primary School Student in the parish of St Andrew.
For this latter achievement, she was awarded a plaque by Lee’s Transport for her diligence and success.
Keyla, who enters Harrison College when the new term starts next Monday, has been able to successfully marry her academic achievements with her interest in and love for netball and long-distance running.
But she says of her studies: “It’s obvious I had to put in extra work. I dedicated myself to my school work and thought about what I wanted out of life. I decided to balance everything in terms of sports, watching television and spending time on the computer playing games.
“I want to be a paediatrician and hope to be a Barbados Scholar.”
In so doing, Keyla would be following in the footsteps of her brother, 18-year-old Kemar, who also attended Harrison College and is currently studying medicine at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Athletic activities
In the area of sports, Keyla has been a member of the Barbados Under-13 netball team from the age of nine. She plays goal attack, centre and wing attack.
As a long-distance runner for the past six years, she has done well in athletics. She maintains, however, that when she enters Harrison College, she will decide whether or not to continue running.
“In the next seven years, she will be a Barbados Scholar,” said Pamela, who credits both her children with the ability to plan their lives practically on their own.
Keyla has set her heart to study physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, in preparation for the world of medicine.
“I am prepared to do them all,” she said with a smile.
A lover of the culinary arts, Keyla has been a member of the St Andrew’s Primary School Culinary Cooking Club. Her favourite dish is shrimp and white rice, and she enjoys cooking this dish whenever shrimp is in the house.
“Whenever I get shrimp from my mum, I cook this dish. I love to prepare it in garlic sauce,” the soft-spoken lass said.
Keyla, who has been a member of her uncle, Reverend Dr Mark Harewood’s church – Love and Light Ministries – since its inception, has been a member of the church’s dance ministry from the age of five. As a young Christian, she maintains Christian values, and even has some words of advice for young people.
“I’d like to tell young people to follow their dreams and try their best in whatever they do.
“They must keep praying, read their Bible and attend church as much as possible,” Keyla advised.
From the look of things, Keyla is set to succeed, and maybe like her mum said, she could become a Barbados Scholar.
