Despite having sickle cell disease, not going on to grade five because of illness and being hospitalized a week before the GSAT examinations, 12-year-old Brianna Christie has defied the odds by being placed at York Castle High School.
Brianna, who is a student of the Claremont All Age School, St Ann, received an impressive 87.6 average. She attained excellent grades with 95 percent in social studies, 92 percent in language arts, 91 percent in science, 79 percent in mathematics and nine out of 12 in communication task.
“I am very, very proud and I am tingling inside. The effect for me hasn’t gone, because the majority of time she has been out of school. I believe that if she was not absent so much from school, she would have done much better,” explained Brianna’s mother, Karen Henry. Her father, Bradley Christie, is also proud of his daughter as well, including the rest of the family and friends.
Ms Henry added: “She did not do grade five and when the time came for her to do it last year (2015), I did not want her to do it because I was not sure that she was prepared enough. So I let her sit the exams this year. Everything went well until a week before GSAT, she became sick and was in the hospital.”
Measures had to be put in place for a possible sitting of the GSAT in the hospital, but Brianna was released from hospital days before the exams and even though she was in pain, she surpassed the challenges.
“I am very happy with my results… I was worried about my weak area Mathematics,” Brianna said, with all smiles while noting that York Castle High School was her first choice.
She has not yet decided her career path, but her favourite subject is social studies.
Ms Henry thanked the teachers of Claremont All Age School for their seven years of support to her daughter, especially to her grade six teacher, Kadesha Scharschmidt for being there for her in and out of the hospital.
“I also want to thank the staff the St Ann’s Bay pediatric ward at the hospital, the nurses, the doctors, family and friends for their support,” added Ms Henry.
