TAYLOR McKenzie, the top-performing student in the 2014 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) agricultural science examination believes the recent renovation of a technologically based greenhouse at Manning’s School is one of the major factors which allowed her to excel in the subject.

According to her, the renovation, which was done last year at a cost of $1.18 million by Food For The Poor and Digicel Foundation, is what motivated her to practice and study for the exam.

There was an official handing over of the greenhouse to the school on February 13. At that event, the 17-year-old sixth former said she was not expecting to have become the top performing student for the subject.

“When it was announced to me that I had come first in the Caribbean for CSEC agricultural science, I felt shocked. I was not expecting that award at all,” McKenzie said.

“My parents, Annette and Trevor McKenzie, were excited upon hearing the news. My agricultural science teacher, Mr Richard Washington, was also very proud upon hearing the news. I thank him for his major contribution towards my success,” she added.

McKenzie attained nine other distinctions, in chemistry, biology, human and social biology, physics, information technology, principles of accounts, office administration, mathematics and English.

She is gearing up to attain distinctions in the subjects she will sit at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level in May.

“If it’s God’s will, I will be able to score a national or regional award in CAPE,” she told Career & Education.

McKenzie, who hails from Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland, wants to become a medical doctor.

“I plan to pursue a Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree. I look forward to attending the University of the West Indies. (It) has an excellent medical programme and offers social, as well as educational development activities,” she said.

— Ainsworth Morris