West Terrace pupils toast 11-Plus success amid tragedy, triumph

From house fires to family legacies, the stories behind this year’s 11-Plus results at West Terrace Primary School were as celebratory as they were varied, with each pupil’s tale of determination and support that turned daunting obstacles into stepping stones to success.

While none of the students made it into the island’s top ten, the resilience and determination of each student shone through, marking the day as a true success story for the St James school.

One of the most moving stories came from Shanice Scantlebury, who passed for The St Michael School. She recalled a difficult year that tested her resilience.

When she opened her exam results slip on Monday and saw she had achieved her goal, she was overcome with emotion.

“I screamed and said: ‘I passed for St Michael’s, I passed for St Michael’s.’ Then I started crying because I could not believe it,” Shanice said, recalling the day, August 29 last year, when fire destroyed her home.

“I say it’s a miracle because last year it was a bit challenging since I lost everything during a house fire and I had to start from scratch.

“My mum helped me get back on my feet and I ended up at St Michael. It was very nice of my teachers and schoolmates who even helped me get back some of my school books so that I could start over.”

Fellow student Virineia Iakubbo said she was proud of her own achievement.

“I feel that when you reach the goal that you wanted to reach for years, you feel relieved and happy,” she said. “When I saw the results, I started to cry because it was my first time reaching a great goal that can actually change my life. But I was sad at the same time to leave my best friend behind.”

Aiden Harewood, who also passed for Harrison College, shared how overcoming his parents’ communication challenges at home fuelled his academic journey.

“It feels great because all the hard work paid off,” said Harewood, whose mother and stepfather are both deaf. 

Having learned sign language at an early age, he developed a strong sense of focus and self-discipline. He is now eager to meet new friends as he transitions into secondary school life.

Also heading to Queen’s College is Druantae Dickinson, who was confident in his academic ability and future goals.

“I knew that I had the ability and capability and skills to pass for such a school of that level,” he said, adding that his school of choice was in his neighbourhood.

Dickinson added that when he begins his journey at Queen’s College, he will take full advantage of the sports programme.

From left: J-Shawn White, Druantae Dickinson, Surav Etwaroo and Aiden Harewood.

“I’m into sports and I like maths. I’m good at maths. So I would like to go into banking. I also said I wanted to be a teacher or a mathematician,” he told Barbados TODAY.

Jourdan Ramsay similarly earned a spot at Queen’s College, describing the moment as both shocking and affirming.

“I was shocked and I knew that I had the confidence and I knew that I was able to pass for my school of choice,” she said.

Surav Etwaroo, another student heading to Queen’s College, is looking forward to new academic adventures: “It feels great. I’m very excited…. I’ll be looking forward to the new environment and all the new subjects I can learn and experience.”

Dominique Riley, who passed for Combermere School, fulfilled a family legacy while chasing her own dream.

“I’m really excited because that was my dream school. My grandfather went to school there and I just liked the school overall,” she said.

For J-Shawn White, also heading to Queen’s College, composure was key.

“It feels amazing to get to a new school in September,” he said, pointing out that he had a clear mindset on the day of the exam.

“I calmed down and just thought about if I did good, I will celebrate.” 

(SZB)