TEARS GAVE WAY to a broad smile today as it sank in with Shamoya Carty that she had clinched the No. 5 spot in the Common Entrance Examination – the island’s showpiece of primary education.
It was a belated birthday gift for the Wills Primary School student who turned 12 on May 28 and had a perfect score in Mathematics and 98 in English along with an A for her composition.
The expat, who came to the island eight years ago from Jamaica, is heading to Harrison College in September.
“I chose Harrison College because I always read about it and I thought it a nice school,” said Shamoya who aspires to be a lawyer.
Her classmates gave her a terrific roar of “congratulations” once the news spread across the Christ Church school which, except for last year, has been placing in the top ten since 2008. Shamoya, who initially cried when she was given the news, said that she had no extra lessons and just studied after school.
“I guess I was overwhelmed… The exam was quite easy… I did my best,” said the soft-spoken Shamoya who is also a member of the school’s Helping Hand club.
Deputy principal Julie Franklin said when Shamoya first came to Barbados there was no space available at the school, but the infant would call daily to ask whether a place had opened up.
Eventually the persistent child got in, Franklin said, and has had that approach to her work, never giving up until she fully understood what was being taught.
Principal Nicole Wills was particularly pleased with the school’s showing. Six of its students are going to Harrison College, 11 to Queen’s College, four to Combermere School, five to The St Michael School, three to Christ Church Foundation and one each to Lodge, Alexandra and Coleridge and Parry, among others. (AC)
