Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
CUL DE SAC, St. Maarten - St. Maarten Academy’s academic campus closed the calendar year with a bang by graduating 81 of its students who successfully completed their CSEC examinations, offered by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) in May/June.
The ceremony was held on December 16, 2015 at the Belair Community Centre under the theme, “Education: The Passport to Our Futureâ€.
Clifford Francois emerged as valedictorian and recapped the years of hard work that brought him and his fellow graduates the successes they have achieved. He also copped the Principal’s Prize for ‘Most Outstanding Business Student’ and the Parent Teachers Foundation award for the student who made the Honour Roll for all five years at the school.
Francois pipped Tatiana Narine and Movita Persaud, who were first and second runners-up valedictorian, respectively. Francois, who this year also received the Young King Award for Academics, passed 11 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in addition to his Dutch Cambridge exam. He copped seven grade ones - all at one sitting – while Narine, who sat nine subjects, too, copped seven grade ones. She was this term determined to be the top performing first year CAPE (Sixth Form) student at the Academy. Persaud sat 10 subjects and secured five grade ones among her passes.
~ 99% school passes, 88% college passes ~
One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition of Jabari York, St. Maarten’s first CSEC Music candidate. York not only secured a grade one, but he placed the island on the CXC MAP by ranking fourth in the region. President of Parliament, Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams did the honour of presenting the awards to York, as well as to Jieyi Liang, who placed ninth in region for Mathematics. Liang was also awarded the ‘Most Outstanding Science Student’ prize.
Liang’s performance in Mathematics regionally mirrored an overall good standing in the subject at the Academy this year. Thirty-nine (48%) of the graduating class secured Grade 1 in Mathematics, the highest grade at CXC, demonstrating “a comprehensive grasp of the key concepts, knowledge, skills and competencies required by the syllabusâ€. Overall, 94% of the students copped Grade ones, twos, and threes at CSEC in the subject, placing the school’s Department of Mathematics as the best performing one, followed by the Department of English which continued to produce stellar results this year.
“Together with the Management Team, we challenged our students, teachers and parents to ‘Choose Excellence’. Class of 2015, you have heeded the call and have certainly done us proud. Your sweat and your tears have paid off,†stated the school’s principal, drs. Tallulah Baly-Vanterpool.
Other students receiving the Principal’s Prize that evening were Clarissa Marks and Mhakeda Shillingford for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the School’, and Tyra Philip and Shakir Peterson for ‘Outstanding Academic Performance’. Peterson also received the Leadership Award.
Mahadavi Persaud received the Principal’s Prize for ‘Most Outstanding Humanities Student’, while Ju’won Hans was recognized for being the ‘Most Athletic Male Student’, having led Academy’s volleyball boys to numerous victories.
Education Minister Silveria Jacobs, who had been selected by the graduating class to address them during their 2014 Motivational Day retreat, praised the students’ successes and reminded them to give back to their country, St. Maarten. Using the RICE acronym she recently shared with all elementary and secondary schools, the minister reminded the class to always “Respect†themselves, their fellow citizens and country; have “Impulse control†despite the situation; show “Compassion†for others; and give “Equity†by treating everyone fairly.
Rev. Dennis Baptiste presented a unique and interactive feature address that had the graduates and the audience singing along. He used analogies to show how a good education, like passports, “TIE†people to life by allowing them to go places (Travel), know themselves (Identity), and have doors open to them (Entry).
According to Baly-Vanterpool, the Academy had 99% school passes with 88% college passes. Students must attain passes in at least five subjects at Grades 1 – 3 to matriculate into most universities.
She urged the graduates to carry themselves with confidence, knowing that they have received a solid foundation at the Academy that will allow them to be successful wherever they go.
“You are not the lost generation. You are the generation full of HOPE and promise waiting to make your mark in the world. Let quality be your yardstick…The future does not belong to the faint hearted. It belongs to the brave. Choose an authentic way of being, and above all, choose honesty, integrity, love of self and love of others, and empathy. After all you are our future leaders,†the principal said.
She urged them to follow their heart, keep looking for the thing they love, and not to settle.
“Never stop dreaming. Yearn to be in service for something that is larger than yourself. [Remember] the three guiding principles that were passed on to me by my father. Know who you are and surround yourself with people who fill your cup; choose to do the right thing, even though there is no one there to see you do it; and always do your best, whatever that best is [in order to] be the best you can be.â€
Among those in attendance were Mr. Van Dyke Bell, Chairman of the School Board of the Foundation for Academic and Vocational Education (FAVE), under which St. Maarten Academy falls; Members of Parliament George Pantophlet and Rudolphe Samuel; former Education Minister Dr. Rhoda Arrindell; and President of the Parent Teachers Foundation (PTF) and School Board member, Mr. Elroy Hughes.
Photos: Jabari York receiving his award for making history for St. Maarten.
Photo Below: Jieyi Liang receiving her award for placing ninth regionally for Mathematics.
Photo Below: Valedictorian Clifford Francois.
Photo Below: (From left) Education Minister Silveria Jacobs, Member of Parliament George Pantophlet, President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams, and Inspector of Secondary Education Grace Linger.
Photo Below: First runner-up valedictorian Tatiana Narine.
Photo Below: Second runner-up valedictorian Movita Persaud.
