E.P. Yorke tops CXC results
Ceremonies to honour some of the nation’s top students were held this morning at he Princess Hotel in Belize City. And as News 5’s Patrick Jones discovered, it was a government high school that walked away with the accolades.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
A record four hundred and thirty-five young adults and their proud parents packed the King’s Room of the Princess Hotel for a celebration of excellence in education. Since 1999, the number of pass six or more subjects in the Caribbean Examinations, CXC has been steadily on the increase going from one hundred and sixty-five, four years ago, to this year’s bumper crop of academic achievers. Chairman of the local CXC Committee Alan Genitty says it is an accomplishment for the whole country.
Alan Genitty, Chairman, CXC National Committee
“I think that whenever our young people perform so well it should mean something very positive for the country; especially when other type of news tend to hit the headlines. I would think that when we have so many of our young people, an increasing number of our young people performing so well at these regional examinations, which is setting a standard and comparing it with other countries, I think it does well for the country; it does well for Belize.”
Two young Belizeans singled out for special recognition for sitting–and passing–nine subjects are Rochelle Brown and Leon Westby. Both are former students of this institution, the Edward P. Yorke High School, and they say that countless hours of work has paid off.
Rochelle Brown, 1st Place Winner, CXC National Awards
“Its really just a really satisfying feeling because it means that all of my hard work has paid off.”
Patrick Jones
“How much work went into this?”
Rochelle Brown
“Well I’ve always been a really focused person. I’m a hard worker, so last year I was pretty focused on doing the best that I could in the CXC examinations.”
Leon D. Westby, 2nd Place Winner, CXC National Awards
“I have to say I am very proud. I think this award is an indication of my potential and it will help to fuel my aspirations, so I can know that I can do whatever I aspire to do and be able to accomplish what I want to accomplish in life.”
But while the students celebrate this important milestone in their lives, Genitty says the relevance of the examinations thirty years into their existence takes on more significance in this twenty-first century.
Alan Genitty
“CXC continues to evolve. CXC has never remained static at all, and it is still very relevant to this area and the region. And I think that you will know that it has international currency, international recognition not just within the region, but in the United States of America, particularly so in United Kingdom and Canada. And the examination itself, CXC itself has been shown as a world leader in examination.”
Rochelle Brown
“Well it’s very valuable especially in the work force because you can always have these documents. It’s a good form of recommendation in your work place and you can always have them to go back on, especially if you are uncertain about what it is you really want to do in your life.”
Patrick Jones
“Do you think students are being adequately prepared for the CXC?”
Leon D. Westby
“Yes I think so. I believe so, especially at E.P. York. I think the teachers are wonderful, they are devoted, they are focused. Many times they go beyond the call of their duty to prepare us and facilitate us with information that we need to pass.”
Principal of the school that produced the top three CXC honours recipient Roderick Cardinez says the recognition speaks volumes for the work turned in by the students and his staff.
Roderick Cardinez, Principal, E.P. Yorke High School
“The first thing, the students had to be motivated. And I think that the teachers did an excellent job of doing that, in terms of the S.B.A.’s, the teacher’s work behind them and the students themselves put in the extra work in order to have this accomplishment.”
Alan Genitty
“I think it also says too that something is happening the right way within our schools in terms of our leaderships in our schools, in many of our schools, in terms of the teachers in our schools, in terms of the work that the CXC local registrars office and the CXC national committee is doing in Belize.”
Cardinez says one hundred and two of his students sat the CXC exams this year. Of that amount, forty-four were on stage today receiving national recognition for their accomplishment of passing more than six subjects. That’s no easy accomplishment and it gives the E.P. Yorke administrator reason to boast.
Roderick Cardinez
“We do want to repeat this accomplishment. However, there are no guarantees. But what we can guarantee is that definitely any student attending E. P. Yorke High School will get a quality education.”
A sentiment that no doubt the other high school principals share. Patrick Jones, for News 5.
In addition to their certificate of recognition, three hundred and fifty-seven of the students also received tuition scholarships from the Ministry of Education to attend a junior college of their choice. For the first time this year, the CXC National Committee recognised twenty-two students from tertiary institutions for their performance in the May/June 2003 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations.
