SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Adonesse Francis attained academic mastery at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level recently when she passed eight subjects.

Francis obtained distinctions in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, english language, english literature, social studies, and spanish.

“I feel overjoyed. It feels awesome; I wouldn’t say I didn’t expect it but it is very awesome,” an elated Francis told the Jamaica Observer North and East in an interview recently.

The St Hilda’s Diocesan High School student said preparing for her exams was not only about taking notes in class, but entailed reading widely.

“I use the teachers’ syllabus. I use different books, not just the books on the booklist. I Googled things to find sites that would explain things simpler,” she explained.

She said parental support was also important in her success as both her mother and father encouraged her to do her best which boosted her self-confidence.

Francis, while focused on academics, was also actively involved in numerous activities at St Hilda’s. She was a member of the Journalism Club, where she did photography and editing; as well as the Girls’ Guide and Spanish clubs and would oftentimes represent her school at Spanish Festival in chorale speaking.

The St Ann native is probably one of the only teens without a social media account, even as she insisted that she is not a “book worm”.

“I didn’t feel bad that I was not on Facebook or anything else,” she said.

“I was probably the only girl in fifth form who was not on Facebook; many girls would laugh at me because they believed it was weird,” she continued.

She explained that she was not intrigued by social platforms and when her father, said she should avoid having one, she accepted his decision.

“She still functions well among her peers while being outstandingly brilliant,” Marlon Francis, her father said.

“It’s a proud moment for me…it feels so good when you invest that level of time in parenting and it pays off,” he added.

Francis’s dream is to study medicine in Cuba.