Chenise tops CSEC with 15 grade ones

With 15 grade ones under her belt, 17-year-old Chenise Harper is at the top of the 2022 May/June Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate(CSEC) examinations.

The official preliminary results were released by the Ministry of Education yesterday, September 15, and Harper was the named nation’s top female performer. She also received the most grade ones overall.

The former student of the St Vincent Girls’ High School (GHS) disclosed to SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that when she saw her grades it felt as if she was feeling “every single emotion” simultaneously.

She said she was shocked.

“I was expecting to do well, but seeing it in real life is a lot different to imagining it,” she noted.

The teenage student knew about her grades since September 5, when they were released by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). However, when asked whether she suspected she would capture the highest spot, Harper said that she wasn’t certain.

All of the students in her class are high achievers, she explained.

Harper chose to complete studies in: Advanced Math, Information Technology, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, French, Spanish, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts, Office Administration, Social Studies, Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM), English A, and English B.

Not only did she receive the highest grade in all 15, but she also scored all-A profiles in 13 subjects.

The Rivulet resident now has a total of 16 CSEC subjects having passed Math with a grade 1 and all-A profiles in 2021.

She explained that she chose these subjects because she didn’t want to waste the text books that she got as hand-me-downs.

Harper also said that she wanted to pick a variety of subjects because at the time she didn’t know what she wanted to study for the future.

When asked what her titles of top performer at CSEC and second place at the 2017 Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment(CPEA) mean to her, Harper said she isn’t sure, concluding, “I tried my best and I’m happy that my best was that good.”

She disclosed that she just wanted to study the subjects, and for the most part she did not regret taking on the workload.

“In the end now it paid off, but it was a little bit hard during exam season,” the 17-year-old admitted.

In terms of general difficulties, the top student revealed that at times there was a lack of motivation.

“Sometimes you just want to sleep,” she said, “but you have to finish your homework, finish all your SBAs (school based assessments), study for Exes (tests), just keep pushing.”

Nonetheless, during her journey the help she received from her parents, Denise and Freddie Harper, was significant.

“I don’t know if I would have made it if it wasn’t for them,” she disclosed.

Her friends, who were dealing with the same things that she was, also motivated her.

When it comes to the advice that she would give to other students, the 17-year-old concluded that it would be: “Not to be discouraged because sometimes it’s hard – you try your best, but you still don’t come first in class. Doesn’t really matter, as long as you know you’re trying your best. That’s all that’s really important.”

The student still has not decided on a career but has identified a love for Math and Information Technology.

Therefore, as she moves forward she is thinking of furthering her education in the areas of Math, Physics, Computer Science and Digital Media.

SEARCHLIGHT will feature other top performers in the 2022 June / July CSEC exams in subsequent publications.