Top Regional CSEC performer links “right priorities” to success

Oct 23, 2014 News

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Not only was it hard work that lent to her excellent performance at the 2014 Caribbean Secondary Education

Certificate (CSEC) Examination, 16-year-old Elisa Hamilton is very much convinced that the Creator was there aiding her along. She made this assertion during a recent interview where she expressed gratitude to God. “I would like to thank God because many times there was nobody who could understand what I was going through but He alone did…He was the only one that could have provided the help at that time,” intimated the Queen’s College student who was recently named the top regional CSEC performer for 2014.
She was also named the top national performer earlier this year.
She undertook 20 subjects and was able to secure 19 Grade Ones and 1 Grade Two. She is currently pursuing the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) at Queen’s College.
According to Hamilton, she was able to reach this phase of her life simply because she was furnished with the necessary knowledge from the Supreme Being. “It was just the two of us when I went into the exam room…I would like to thank him for bringing back to my memory what I have learnt and (for) helping me to understand and interpret the questions that were asked,” she continued.
But the divine support might not have been forthcoming had she not put the necessary effort into her work as according to the Two Friends Village, East Coast Demerara, resident “what I did in order to get so many grade ones…I made sure that I knew what I wanted to accomplish and I worked towards it.”
She recalled spending many nights studying long hours, and even then recognised the utmost importance of completing high quality School Based Assessments (SBAs) projects in a timely manner. This, she noted, allowed her to enter the CSEC examination with good scores.
According to her, she did whatever was imperative even as she kept in mind that “this goal was temporary…that I would have to work hard yes, but it would not be forever, and that the returns in the end would be worth the work.”
She informed that while her family expected her to perform well, her true motivation was within her very being. This was in light of the fact that the fourth of six siblings was determined to not have her parents be forced to pay the high cost of a good quality education she so desired. “I wanted to get a scholarship to go and study because it would be very expensive for my parents to provide such for me…I knew it would be a bit tough on them so that was my motivation….”
She was also encouraged to perform well by her teachers (Sir Haridyal and Ms Liverpool) and of course her parents and siblings as well. “My parents were like my biggest fans, my father especially, and I had my brother who was helping me with everything I needed,” a delightful Hamilton recalled.
Her accomplishment has etched another outstanding record in the annals of outstanding CSEC performances for Guyana which has made not only her family but the country as a whole proud.
And the advice coming from the lass to others who may seek to follow in her footsteps is “to know your priorities and work towards what you plan on achieving because in the end it will all play out well and in the future I hope.”
While she is not sure where she will pursue her university education, Hamilton is however certain that she will be seeking a career as a medical doctor. “I’m checking out scholarships that I have, and then I plan on becoming a medical doctor; I’m not sure in which field as yet but I’m thinking maybe an anaesthesiology, surgery or one of those fields,” divulged a blushing Hamilton.
Hamilton is among four national top CSEC performers who the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has named as the top Regional performers for 2014.
The top regional awards include: Overall Outstanding Achievement copped by Hamilton of Queen’s College; Most Outstanding in Humanities, Aliyyah Abdul Kadir of Queen’s College; Most Outstanding in Business Studies, Ryhan Chand of Queen’s College and Most Outstanding in Technical Vocational, Kishan Critchlow of New Amsterdam Multilateral School.
In a statement issued soon after CXC’s announcement it was noted that “the Ministry of Education announces with pride that Guyana has once again, done extraordinarily at the CSEC examinations as Guyana gains four Regional Awards for Outstanding Performance in the May/June 2014 examinations.”
In recognition of their achievements, CXC will on December 4, 2014, present the outstanding students with awards at a ceremony to be held at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters, Mona Campus, Jamaica.
“The Ministry of Education wishes to congratulate the students on their exemplary performance and wish them all the best in their future endeavours,” the statement added.
Last year Guyana secured five of the eight awards offered by CXC.
The top performers from Guyana then were: Yogeeta Persaud of the Anna Regina Secondary School who claimed Overall Outstanding Achievement; Rafena Mustapha of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan who was dubbed the Most Outstanding in Humanities; Cecil Cox of Queen’s College who was named the Most Outstanding in Sciences; Sasha Woodroffe of Queen’s College who claimed the Most Outstanding in Business Studies and Zimeena Rasheed of the Anna Regina Secondary School who was the Most Outstanding in Technical Vocational.

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