TOP STUDENT PERFORMED WELL DESPITE BEING ILL TWO EXAM DAYS, HOSPITALIZED AFTER
RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann; July 2, 2024
Twenty-six students graduated from Mt Zion Primary and Infant School with the exhortation of an educator that they had the foundation to do well at high school.
The school-leaving exercise took place at the Mount Zion Baptist Church, St Ann on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Before the Primary students took centre stage, there was also a transitioning ceremony for 16 students of the Infant Department.
(Valedictorians Ackeem Black and Karnielia Brown. They were also the school’s top performers in PEP, with Black earning the Principal’s Trophy)
Guest Speaker Oshane Haughton, grade seven coordinator of Ferncourt High School, acknowledged that 11 of the students were scheduled to attend that institution at Claremont in the parish, based on their PEP results placement.
(Guest speaker Oshane Haughton)
He said it was his experience that many of the students from Mount Zion had a sound foundation in mathematics. Mr Haughton encouraged parents to support the children and improve their discipline to increase their chances of doing well.
Mr Haughton, who is from St James and who attended Cornwall College before going on to the University of the West Indies, gave anecdotes from his journey at high school. He explained how he learned discipline, to seize opportunity and to respect people in senior positions.
(Most disciplined and best behaved student, Ammiel Nash, receives his award from guidance counsellor Allaine Isaacs, Grade 6 teacher Michelle Thomas is partly hidden in the background)
Principal of Mt Zion Jacqueline Brown congratulated the students and teachers and encouraged parents to continue to provide their support. She pointed out that the students graduating were the first set to enter the Infant Department after it was created; therefore, most of them had spent eight years at the school.
(Principal Jacqueline Brown, commending graduates)
Speaking to the graduating students, she said: “I encourage you to do well, make the best of your opportunities and remember your theme: A new beginning embracing change and stepping into the future.”
(MP for NW St Ann Krystal Lee, bringing greetings)
She said they should remain steadfast and attach themselves to the right people at school.
Board Chairman Franklin McKnight stressed the importance of discipline and the need for character building among graduates and other students and said parents had a primary role in this regard.
MP for North West St Ann, Krystal Lee, brought greetings and said she was pleased with the performance of schools across the parish.
Grade six teacher Michelle Thomas who was praised throughout the event for her work with the graduates, assisted in handing out the prizes to the students.
(A section of the audience)
Winners with the highest grades for the PEP subjects were:
Ability Test — Caleb Taylor
Mathematics – Ackeem Black
Language Arts – Ackeem Black
Social Studies – Karniella Brown
Science — Ackeem Black
The Principal’s Trophy was won by Ackeem Black
Ackeem performed well in PEP, and was the top performer in the school, despite falling ill on two days of the PEP exams . He was hospitalized the day after the exams.
The most disciplined and best-behaved student was Ammiel Nash.
Best behaved girls were Denyque Atkinson and Karnielia Brown
The Top Boy, Ackeem Black, and Top Girl Karniella Brown each received a $15,000 cash prize from MP Krystal Lee. They also won other prizes
.
Ackeem Black in his usual humble pose after getting the Principal’s Trophy
(Top girl Karnielia Brown poses with father Lenroy Brown at the end of the ceremony)
Caleb Taylor gave the vote of thanks.
Among the guests were Bishop Baron Simmons and Mary Simmonds, both past educators; Perat Smith and retired Principal of York Castle Primary School, Norma Onfroy Smith.
