Car crash couldn’t deter top girl’s rise

Elena Bohne was so determined to realise her dream of becoming the top student in the Common Entrance Examination that not even a car accident last year could stop her preparation.

As she stood outside a Hastings restaurant where she was celebrated her success over lunch with parents Enrico and Melissa Bohne, the St Angela’s School pupil who scored 100 in Mathematics and 98 in English told Barbados TODAY that her sacrifices were well worth it.

She will start first form at Queen’s College on September 20.

The top student said: “This is a very big deal. I have wanted this for a very long time, so I am really excited. It is really amazing. I was hoping to be top girl because it was a big goal I had set for myself.

“I had to put in a lot of work and it was hard because of COVID and online school was really difficult. It was hard not seeing my friends because sometimes being with your friends encourages you. We were able to email each other, but it isn’t the same as talking to people and I think talking to people is a really big part of school life. But I think I motivated myself a lot and I worked really hard.”

Elena Bohne said that even while wishing she could take part in fun activities, she spent hours ensuring that she was at the top of her game. She asked her mother to wake her early on mornings to give her enough time to revise for at least half an hour before class was scheduled to begin.

The 11-year-old said from an early age she knew she wanted to attend Queen’s, her mother’s alma mater.

She declared she is not good at sports but enjoys writing fiction, spending time with relatives and going to the beach.

Dad Enrico Bohne said the entire family was elated, proud but not surprised about her exceptional performance, considering that she has always been a high achiever from the time she started school.

Bohne said: “However, in the moment you are still like we achieved this, we did it. We heard it. We jumped up on the couch, we were jumping up and down, I lifted her and we ran around a couple of times, the water works started to fall and then calls came in, calls are still coming in.

“We thank everybody for their well wishes and we thank her teachers, they were awesome. Her teacher really put in the work with this class and we are thankful for the work that she has done.

“We are thankful for her uncle who did mathematics lessons with her. Anytime she had an issue, we took her to uncle and because of him she got that 100 in maths so we are grateful to uncle Jeremy.”

But Bohne spoke of his daughter’s difficult journey since she was involved in a car accident early last year.

He said: “She had some soft tissue damage in her neck and what not. So sometimes when studying, like constantly leaning over on the desk and what’s not would put a strain on it, but she was never one to complain. She was always a champion about it.

“So, it’s just good to get past this chapter and we are looking forward to an exciting new chapter to come. She pushed through a lot to get here. I am very proud of this little girl.”

(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)