JUDITH Finnikin was never convinced she had the ability to pass all eight subjects she sat in the 2013 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations hence the reason for her surprise when the Aabuthnott Gallimore High School student was told the good news.

The icing on the cake for the teen was receiving a distinction in her favourite subject, principles of accounts.

“I was very excited. At first I thought I couldn’t have done it, but when the results came out, it was like, Wow!” Finnikin told the Jamaica Observer North East.

“When I entered the exams I was so nervous, I didn’t think I would have passed all eight but to my surprise I did,” she added.

Finnikin passed information technology, office administration, principles of accounts, social studies, principles of business, English language, mathematics and human and social biology.

A resident of Grants Bailey in St Ann, Finnikin was also very elated to have done her mother and stepfather proud.

The journey at Aabuthnott Gallimore High was not always easy but Finnikin said she was determined to make her parents proud.

Finnikin’s mother Stacy-Ann Clarke said words cannot fully express how delighted she is at the accomplishment of her eldest child.

“I have to say a big thank you to her stepfather for playing his role as a dad,” an elated Clarke said.

The first of four children, Finnikin was also happy to have set a trend for her siblings to follow.

But while Finnikin is surprised by her accomplishment, her accounts teacher Maleshia Allen said she knew the hard-working student would have done well.

“It was no surprise because she always worked hard,” she explained, adding that “she was a focused student who always tries to get her work done”.

According to Allen, Finnikin was a focused student who was disciplined in all areas of her life.

She was also a great student leader, said Allen.

Finnikin, while happy with her success, said that she could not have done it without the hard-working teachers at the school.

Although not a traditional high school, Finnikin said she was always proud of the institution particularly because of the high level of care the teachers showed for the students.

Her accounts teacher was very confident that she would have done well and was always one to push her, Finnikin revealed.

“I always say Aabuthnott Gallimore is the best school. We have the best teachers,” she stated.

She added: “Sometimes I am falling behind and Ms Allen would say, ‘Judith what you doing. This is not the Judith I know’. Aabuthnott has caring teachers and I do love that school.”

Finnikin intends to pursue a career in finance and or marketing and hopes to enter the Northern Caribbean University next year.