In Jamaican halls of academia it is an oft-touted view that girls generally perform better than boys in school. Data from the Ministry of Education tends to support this belief, as results from the Grade Four Literacy tests, the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and exit examinations at the secondary level reveal that boys usually lag behind girls in almost every subject.

However, Hanif Brown and Ricardo Smith-Stewart have been doing their best to improve those statistics. Both excelled in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and were awarded Jamaica National Building Society scholarships to cover their five-year secondary education.

Brown, 18, attends Ardenne High School, where he is pursuing the second year of his Caribbean Advanced Proficiency (CAPE) examinations. He captured the attention of the Jamaican public in 2015, when he took over the reins as Spelling Bee coach for the St Andrew parish champion from the acclaimed Rev Glen Archer, who passed away that year.

Hanif’s protégé, Chaunte Blackwood, was crowned national champion; and subsequently represented Jamaica at the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC in the United States of America.

“Rev Archer took me under his wings when I began coaching. I learned life lessons from him, such as strong moral values, time management and persistence. And, I have been able to adopt those principles in my own life,” said Brown.

These attributes have no doubt contributed to his successes both in and out of the classroom. His leadership skills and sportsmanship earned him a place on Ardenne’s School’s Challenge Quiz team; membership of the Spanish Club; and the coveted title of captain of Ardenne’s Manning Cup football team. And, such was his skill in basketball, that he received an individual award when his school’s team became the national basketball champion.

The young achiever has a strong sense of duty, and also finds time to volunteer at the Maxfield Park Children’s Home and with AIM Educational Services. This, he said, is part of his long-term goal to make an impact as a leader in his country.

“I believe that the education system should make more investment in moulding strong leaders. We place a lot of emphasis on academics, but there is not enough information about what happens after university. Young adults are, therefore, not adequately prepared to take advantage of opportunities,” he told the

Jamaica Observer.

His plans to pursue tertiary education are already well advanced, Brown said, but he declined divulging details about where he has applied.

Smith-Stewart, also a spelling bee finalist, has himself been making waves since preparatory school. The trove of certificates, medals and trophies for both scholastic and academic performance that adorn his home tell the tale.

He achieved 10 ten passes in the sciences and humanities at grade one in the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate; awards in several subjects at CAPE; and countless trophies for tennis and chess.

The Campion College graduate affirms that he received solid educational grounding, which, along with the nurturing of his mother and a wide circle of relatives and friends, has more than prepared him for university overseas, which is his goal.

“I will definitely miss my mom, hanging out with my friends, and eating Jamaican patties,” he said, laughing. “However, I am looking forward to the independence and new experiences overseas.”

His goal is to ensure that tertiary education prepares him to make a contribution to Jamaica at the policy level. “I know that we have resources here, but many people don’t have the creativity to use them well. We need to manage our resources better,” the young man urged.

Every year since 1983, JNBS has awarded approximately 27 students who have excelled in GSAT and its forerunner, Common Entrance, with a five-year scholarship. Currently, some 30 high school students are benefitting from the scholarship programme.

The building society, which is taking steps to transition to a commercial bank, views the education awards as an investment in the country’s future.

“JN also provides one-year bursaries to select candidates at The University of the West Indies, the University of Technology, Jamaica, and Northern Caribbean University. And, over the past three years, three students received one-year scholarships tenable at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, to read for a Master’s degree in a business-related subject,” the society said.

Brown and Smith-Stewart are expected to start university in August/September.