Walcott ‘achieves her dream’

Janika Walcott marked her name on scholastic history’s page as the lone student of the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial Primary School to place in the top ten in the Eleven-Plus Exam.

Walcott, who obtained 241.52 A has obtained a place at Queen’s College in September.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY the deputy head girl of the Spooner’s Hill, St Michael public school said she was excited to learn she made this year’s top ten as it was a goal she wanted to achieve.

“I had a few careless errors  I checked over them and changed them luckily,” she said with a chuckle.

Walcott said she was so determined to do well in the exam that she limited the amount of time she spent on her electronic devices without being told to do so.

Top Ten Performer in the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination Janika Walcott and her teacher Andrea Carrington-Edwards.

“[My parents] did not want to take away anything from me. So, I took  [TV time and Electronics] away from myself,” she said.

Acting Principal of Lawrence T. Gay Memorial, Jacinta Alexander, wore a broad smile as she spoke glowingly of Walcott’s success in the BSSEE.

The principal said: “I am feeling ecstatic. Here we always strive for excellence and Janika is a self- motivated student and she works hard. I think she deserves her position as fifth in the island.”

Alexander said the school continues to maintain a high standard of excellence due to the dedication of her members of staff.

She said: “We have a great band of teachers they work really hard and they put a lot of effort into what they do. I like the sense of independence which they have.

“They are self-motivated even though we have to overcome various obstacles and difficulties amidst it all I like the work ethic and how they work with the children.

“They do not have an easy task, but they are committed, and they persevered,”

The acting principal said retired teacher Deborah Spencer and current Class 4 teacher Carrington-Edwards worked together to ensure that Walcott could join the top ten.