Principal highlights best of the school at graduation
Principal of Ferncourt High, Reverend Lenworth Sterling has challenged his latest batch of school leavers “to be the trophies that will talk for Ferncourt.” At the same time, the principal wants students who have met certain requirements to return to the institution September and help build its new sixth form programme. Addressing school leavers during the institution’s annual school leaving and prize giving ceremony, on Wednesday, June 25, Rev Mr Sterling said come September, Ferncourt will commence its sixth form programme with focus initially on the Sciences and Arts. “It is your school, you cannot ignore your own to build others. That is lack of patriotism,” he told the graduates at the ceremony held at the Beechamville Methodist Church in Claremont, St. Ann. Some 200 students qualified for graduation. Of that number, four students – Kevoy Anderson, Anneik Dunn, Toni Harrison and Briana Russell graduated with great honour. Those students, the principal said scored 90 of the 100 points required for graduation and wore a gold stole. A little over 100 students graduated with honour after scoring at least 75 and wore blue stoles while the other scored at least 60 points and wore white stoles. Rev Sterling in an address themed ‘What is right about Ferncourt’ spoke glowingly about the successes of the school, not only in academics, but also sport and several extra circular activities. He said although the school had some challenges during the year, great strides were made and he said the ceremony was in celebration of the things which were right about the school. Highlighting some of the things he said were right about Ferncourt, Rev Sterling said among the graduates were students who sat and were successful in up to three subjects while they were in the lower school. Seven students obtained three CSEC subjects, 36 were successful in two subjects and 18 were successful in one subject, before reaching Grade 11
Rev’d Sterling said students were exposed to a wider curriculum this year and that CAPE Caribbean Studies, Communication Task and CSEC Additional Mathematics were included in the curriculum. He said the HEART/NTA Food Preparation was also strengthened. “This new approach is necessary as more and more of our students are taking up the challenge in our Academic Acceleration Programme to sit subjects in CSEC before they enter final year of school, thus paving the way for a successful sixth form programme,” Mr. Sterling said. “If you ask me, what is right about Ferncourt I will tell you that of the twenty one students who sat the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in 2013, twenty of them or 95 per cent were successful,” The principal said to loud applause from the packed church. The principal also outlined the school’s success in a number of areas particularly in extracurricular activities where students competed locally and at the national level winning a number of trophies and medals and he said his students continue to excel in all areas of school life. He admitted that there are challenges and he urged all stakeholders to continue responding to the needs of the school and continue working towards making Ferncourt the top school in the parish and among the best in the island. The principal said the school also invested in its infrastructure by completing the construction of sanitary conveniences for teachers and students as well the construction of four new classrooms.
