2014’s Top CXC/CAPE Performers Awarded in Orange Walk
There were happy students and proud parents this morning at the national ceremony for CSEC and CAPE awardees which took place in Orange Walk Town. Hundreds of students were recognized for excelling in the exams sat in May and June; among them are Siian Rancharan who is the Most Outstanding CSEC student for this year and Paul Sylvester who is the Most Outstanding CAPE student. Both students are from Saint John’s College and Junior College. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The CXC National Committee of Belize today held the national awards ceremony for the 2014 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Exams also known as CXC exams. Hundreds of students, family and friends as well as Ministry of Education officials gathered at the Multipurpose Complex Building in Orange Walk Town. The most outstanding students and those who excelled in individual subject areas were honored for a job well done.
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“I want to ask you to give yourselves a wonderful round of applause to take the time to be here to celebrate our students this morning both at the CSEC and the CAPE level because they are the excellence; they are the shining stars of the Belize education system and we ought very much to be proud of them and to give them all the praise, the props, everything that they have worked so hard for. So I ask you one more time to put your hands together for our students who are receiving awards today. (Clapping)”
Siian Rancharan, Most Outstanding CSEC Candidate
“[Umm] happiness and excitement; I think more of a sense of self-accomplishment. I think I am very proud and honored to be such an outstanding candidate this year.”
Siian Rancharan
Most outstanding in the CSEC Exams was seventeen year old Siian Rancharan. Currently enrolled at the Saint John’s College Junior College, Rancharan was recognized four years ago for topping the Primary School Examinations. Now fast track to 2014, he topped the CSEC with fourteen grade ones and two grade twos including twelve triple ‘A’ profiles.
Siian Rancharan
“For me, it is not enough to say thank you anymore. It is very important that you encourage others as well because the truth is, like I mentioned in my speech, accomplishing sixteen CXCs is no different from accomplishing one. You have to make sure that you do all the right steps, all the right moves, and I think that a lot of people are afraid; people have self-doubt. And the moment you have self-doubt or some sort of doubt in yourself; that is the moment you fail. It is very important and I realized that, through high school, I realized that I have to see my own potential and that you recognize the support because I don’t think I could have do it without all my friends, my teachers, my school. Thinking about all the long nights…my parents would say go to sleep and I’d say no, I have to study and they put up with me. I realize that it is really truly a big help when you have a support group.”
Duane Moody
“What’s next for Siian Rancharan?”
Siian Rancharan
“Well we have to find out, I’m not sure yet. But the truth is, at seventeen, you could never know what you wanna be at seventeen years; I’m still young. But for right now, I think it is important that I discover what I wanna do. I mean it doesn’t mean that I stray away from my focus; I have to make sure I do well in school and I’m involved. But for me the next goal is just to realize what I want to do and go after it full force.”
Paul Sylvester
Meanwhile former SJCJC student, eighteen Paul Sylvester received top honors for the CAPE exams. He was unable to make today’s ceremony since he is studying in St Louis, Missouri in the U.S. In his absence, his mom shared some remarks on his behalf.
Pauline Williams-Sylvester, Mother of Paul Sylvester
Pauline Williams-Sylvester
“To my parents, I thank you for doing your best to appease my curiosity over my eighteen years. You have maintained my drive and encouraged me to never stop reaching for my goals; something which we all need today in order to succeed. Finally, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Ministry of Education for the considerable opportunity for me to further my education. My congratulations go out to all of you here today. I know that this was not the easiest of feats; keeping up with the SBAs and writing all those tedious labs.”
Project Manager at Cisco Construction Limited, Reina Riverol, was the guest speaker at today’s event and shared a few words of encouragement with the promising youths. She challenged them to think outside the box.
Reina Riverol
Reina Riverol, Guest Speaker
“Not because everybody is doing something, you should do it also. And it doesn’t matter how much you are told that you cannot do something, it means that you won’t attempt to do it. Not because your grandmother or your mother or your aunts were secretaries, you have to be a secretary. Like how Robert Froster quotes, two roads diverge in a wood and I, I took the less-traveled one and that has made all the difference. Take the less-travelled road and you will be more than satisfied with your achievements. The mere fact that you’ve chosen that path and you’ve made it through says a lot about you.”
Invitees and guests were also entertained by several musical presentations of the Corozal Community College Marching Band and the San Pedro High School Band. Duane Moody for News Five.
