Latest update April 8th, 2025 5:45 AM
NAMS top student gives God credit …Surmounted many challenges to top school
By Samuel Whyte
Sarah Reid, the 17-year-old top Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations student of the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School (NAMSS) is thankful to GOD, her parents, teachers, and Church members among others for whatever successes she has achieved so far, despite trying circumstances at times.
Sarah Reid
An ardent Christian, she is adamant that as long as one believes in the Supreme Being anything is possible.
Elated about her success, the young lady remains humble following her success at the examinations where she secured ten Grade One, and a Grade Two passes. Her grade two pass was in Spanish which was almost self-taught.
During her time at school, especially leading up to examinations, she encountered a number of challenges, but the setback did not deter her from going for her goal. She remained focused and with her strong believe in God, she said that she knew he was by her side and guiding her hands on many occasions.
She worked assiduously, prayed earnestly and studied. Sarah secured grade one passes in Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Geography, History, Social Studies, Integrated Science, Theatre Arts, Principles of Business and Economics.
Speaking about some of her challenges she said, “I picked up Economics after Human and Social Biology was discontinued. I did not get much exposure to the subject prior to exams; much was self-taught. I give credit to God. The other students who had it on their time table were way ahead. I was planning to drop Geography because I was getting difficulties understanding the Scottish teacher’s accent. Fortunately another teacher took over from him and I got a better picture.
In Spanish she was the only student doing the subject in the school. She felt pressured to succeed, because it would reflect on the school’s overall pass rate. She didn’t even know the date for the oral examination and only knew a few days before from a friend who was writing the subject at Berbice High School.
She had a few days’ sessions with the teacher over at that school. She was way behind and only had a few days to get ready.
Before attending NAMSS, Sarah attended All Saints Primary School where she gained 509 marks at the National Grade Six Examinations. She secured a place at St Stanislaus College in Georgetown, but her parents opted to have her remain closer to home.
Sarah who plans on becoming an educator reminisces on the role her grandmother, retired Matron Halley, and her parents Joy and Compton Reid, played in her early upbringing.
Her grandmother insisted that she count to a hundred before leaving for nursery school. Her father would ride out early in the morning to get a Hibiscus flower for her school experiment, while, her mother taught her to write on the cardboards for presentations.
Her advice to her peers is to be aware that there is a time for everything. ”Do not overdo. There is a time to study, time to play and there must be time for God”.
Principal of NAMSS, Ms Vanessa Jacobs -Chisholm said Sarah was recognised as the top student after securing the pass in the foreign language. Another student also passed ten Grade Ones and a Grade Two.
Sarah has resumed classes at the NAMSS where she is undertaking studies at the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).
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