Nathan Griffin follows in siblings’ footsteps

Nathan Griffin, who will be heading to Harrison College when the new school year begins, did not make the list when this year’s top ten 11-Plus results were announced.

However, he created history nevertheless by becoming one of three siblings to attend the grammar school.

Nathan, his sister Rheanna who is now headed to sixth form at Harrison and their older brother Joshua who will be moving on to the University of the West Indies, all graduated from St Luke’s Brighton Primary as the top student of their respective graduation classes.

The 11-year-old, who graduated from St Luke’s last month, earned 91 in English and 95 in Mathematics with an A in composition. His total converted score was 235.73.

“I feel amazing, I feel wonderful and proud. I had a little difficulty and struggles but I pushed through and this is where it got me right now,” Nathan said during an interview with Barbados TODAY.

The young boy noted that not even the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused some disruption to the last school year, could have stopped him from accomplishing his goal of walking in his siblings footsteps. He said he attended all of his online classes, constantly revised and remained focused.

“I wasn’t really focusing on being a top boy at the school; I was focused on getting to Harrison College. All long as I got to Harrison College, I was glad. I was so excited when I found out that I was going to Harrison College because that is where my siblings were going and that is where I wanted to go too. And I believe that Harrison College is a wonderful school, so I feel wonderful,” he said.

Nathan said to celebrate his success he enjoyed a family day at the beach, thanked his Class 4 teacher Dawn Knight for pushing him and the class to do their best even when they thought they would not have made it to the end.

He also expressed gratitude to all those teachers who taught him from the time he entered St Luke’s Brighton.

Nathan’s father Winfield Griffin said he was always a smart child and noted that he watched him work hard towards achieving the goal of gaining a place at Harrison College.

While St Luke’s Brighton has little visibility, Griffin, whose children are all members of Bethel Pentecostal Church, said he attended the institution and decided from early that his children would also go there because it is located just a mile away from their home.

“I figured my children should be able to go there and learn and do well. I never look at the school and compare it to any other school. And I figure that once I continue to encourage and work with my children, they will meet some success,” Griffin said.

The father who has been the President of St Luke’s Brighton Parent Teachers Association (PTA) for the past two years, said it is important that parents continue to have a vested interest in helping the school however they could. He said his role in contributing to the development of the school was not just about his children but also about the others who go there. Griffin said children need their parents to have an interest in their school in order for them to get the best from the school. “I am always trying to encourage parents to be there for their children and such like,” he said.

Barbados TODAY understands that St Luke’s Brighton is currently not a school of first choice in the St George community, and that the roll has been declining gradually in recent years, although the staff is able to work with students to perform creditably. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb