Israel Carr, the 2010 top CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) performer, was recognized for his outstanding achievement by the US Embassy and the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) last Thursday, February 17.{{more}}

Carr’s twelve grade one passes easily distinguished him as the nation’s top performer.

Dr Brent Hardt, the Charges d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Barbados, said that, too often, academic achievements are overshadowed by performances in other activities such as sports.

But he contended that the time had come for the academic achievements among the region’s youth to be highlighted.

He commended Carr, a former student of the St. Vincent Grammar School (SVGS), on his excellent academic achievement and noted the significance of this country’s top performer being male.

According to Hardt, the award was being conferred on the young man at a time when the region’s educators and leaders have been expressing their concern over the seeming lack of motivation to excel academically among males.

He said that this was evident in the big disparity in the ratio of males to females in the region’s tertiary institutions.

“But, today, we see that a young man can step forward and achieve academic performance,” Hardt said.

Headmaster of the SVGS Frank Jones, in his presentation at the ceremony, challenged the present fifth performers to let Carr’s performance be an inspiration to also excel.

Jones said that Carr’s performance was evidence that attaining excellence did not necessarily depend on an individual’s intellectual inclination, but rather on how hard the person is willing to work. (DD)