JENECIA Black scored a Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) average of 95 (99 for maths, 99 for language arts, 100 for science, 98 for social studies, and 10/12 in communication task). It’s a score that could have easily qualified her for any of the traditional Corporate Area high schools. But the 11-year-old chose to stay in her home parish instead and will attend Morant Bay High, her first choice, in September.

Black says it was her mother, Jenita Lumsden-Black — who is also her grade six teacher — who planted the seed, as it is a family tradition.

“I chose Morant Bay High School as my first choice because my mother, her five brothers, and my two brothers went to that school. Also, because the school fee is not that high and they (parents) are struggling with money right now,” she told the

Jamaica Observer.

While she believes that Morant Bay High is a “good school”, Black feels that the rush to attend so-called traditional high schools in the Corporate Area is overrated.

“Everywhere I go there are so many people telling me, ‘Why don’t you go to Wolmer’s or Campion’ or asking mom to transfer me. She just says, ‘No’… Morant Bay High is close to home, plus it does not matter where you go as long as you work hard,” she said.

Her second and third choices were, in fact, Campion College and Wolmer’s Girls’ School, respectively.

Black’s GSAT scores were no surprise as she has consistently been at the top of her class. She received 12 prizes at her recent graduation, including four for topping mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies.

“My mother thought the ministry would look at the scores and say that ‘these scores are too perfect, we can’t send her a country school’,” her daughter added.

“We were all expecting it. She was always at the top of her class… I’m feeling quite elated,” Lumsden-Black told

Career & Education.

The teacher said that she tries her best with her students, always trying to incentivise learning to motivate them to work hard.

“I motivate them. I spend thousands of dollars on certificates and medals and have award ceremonies and take their pictures so they are motivated to work hard, “ Lumsden-Black said.

The result is that both the top girl and boy came from her grade six class this year. The top boy, Davion Meggie is heading to Kingston College in September.

The top girl, who wants to become a surgeon, said that while the high school entrance exam was difficult in part, she was ready due to how she hard prepared, assisted by her biggest supporter, her mother.

“At school she would teach everybody, but at home she would have me take out the book and study…My mother would be there to help me, and if I got something wrong, she would show me how to do it and explain it,” she said, while noting that some students in her class accused the teacher of sharing exam material with her prior to the exams.

“This is totally not true,” she protested, saying her mother was brought to tears when she heard the accusations.

This, she said, was the only thing that threatened her GSAT preparations, but she shunned the negativity.

“I knew they were jealous. I did not let it bother me and told my mother the same thing,” she said.

Black said she intends to maintain her high standard of performance in high school to show people that rural schools can produce greatness.

“I’m going to work and achieve my goals. I will show them that I am doing well and they will want their students to go to a rural school as well,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to continue making my mother proud, and my family proud, as well as myself,” she added.