St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua top students eyeing medical field

If all goes according to plan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines can look forward to a crop of top quality physicians in the next few years.{{more}}

The majority of the top performers in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams from the St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua (SJCM) seem to all have a common interest in saving lives.

The group of five related to SEARCHLIGHT their future aspirations, as well as their elation upon receiving outstanding CSEC results, during an interview on Wednesday August 17, 2011.

SJCM’s seven top performers the CSEC examinations are Jens Peters, Ramiche Mc Lean, Clairmonta Cordice and Joselle Primus who gained 11 subjects and Rhiana Bruce-Lyle, Akelia Cornwall and Clara John who gained ten subject passes.

Peters, Mc Lean, Cordice, Bruce Lyle and John all related to SEARCHLIGHT their elation and disappointments when they received their results. From expressions of relief, to those of happiness, and many utterances of “could’ve done better” the students overall, assessed their performance as one well done.

Cordice, the top performer from the SJCM gained four ones in English A and B, Social Studies and a double award in Agriculture. She was awarded grade two’s in Information Technology, Economics and Math, and grade three’s for Chemistry, Biology, and Spanish.

“I feel pleased, (it’s) a bit shocking but …I’m happy,” Cordice said about being the top performer at her school.

Peters gained four grade ones, five grade twos, and two grade threes. McLean secured three grade ones, four grade twos, and four grade threes, while Joselle Primus gained five grade ones, two grade twos and four grade threes.

John gained three grade ones, four grade two and three grade threes. Bruce Lyle gained three grade ones, six grade twos and one grade three while Akelia Cornwall gained two grade ones, five grade twos and three grade threes.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT via telephone, Cornwall said she was generally satisfied with her results, but was disappointed with a few of her grades and could have done better.

Preparing for the exams seemed to be no difficult task for these students as they related that they did not have to give up much, but followed study time tables and did past CSEC examination papers and increased their studying.

Cordice however said that she had to give up her commitment to Facebook, while John had to give up time on the Internet and her cell phone. Peters on the other hand stayed devoted to his “addiction” to online video games, but gave as much time to studying as well.

Looking back at their time in the exam room, the students related that some exams were easy while some were a bit surprising, and left them stumped.

“Some made you want you to laugh, some made you open your eyes and made you (feel) so shocked,” Cordice said.

The students also admitted that sciences were a bit of a challenge. “For sure when I opened that paper, I was like I want to come out of this exam now!,” Bruce Lyle said, laughing as she remembered her Chemistry paper.

The group also shared their ambitious plans for the future, John stated that she hopes to own her own hospital and become a Gynecologist, Surgeon and Pediatrician. Peters, Mc Lean, and Cordice all share similar aspirations while Bruce Lyle hopes to pursue Child Psychology. She will attend a college in West Virginia in the USA on scholarship, where she will major in Psychology and English. Her colleagues plan to attend the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College Division of Arts Sciences and General Studies later this year.

They all gave thanks to God, their friends, family and other supporters who assisted them in their successes.

SJCM produced an overall pass rate of 78.02 per cent. They gained 100 per cent passes in Agricultural Science, Food and Nutrition, Office Administration and 97 per cent passes in Agriculture Science, Information Technology, 95 per cent passes in Social Studies and 92 per cent passes in Integrated Science.(OS)