JORDANO Page did not expect to be named the top scorer on EduFocal’s platform for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) category, but he was elated to be the first boy to win the award.

The 12-year-old was also ecstatic to retain the award for his school, George Headley Primary, for the fourth year in a row.

In the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) category, Shanoya Bisson, a 13-year-old first-form student at Holy Childhood High, who had placed second in the category last year, upped her competition to cop the award this year. Both were selected from among 10 top performers in their respective categories.

EduFocal, which is an online learning platform that allows users to access GSAT and CSEC level content, enhances the learning experience of its users through games, quizzes and other engaging activities. Students who use the platform also become members of a virtual community in which they can compete, receive assistance and exchange ideas.

“It is indeed a privilege to stand here being the first boy to win the coveted title of EduFocal champion. This win is important to me as I was able to continue the tradition of George Headley Primary School’s four-year winning streak,” Jordano told the gathering at the sixth staging of EduFocal Excellence Awards at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston last week Thursday.

“EduFocal, for me, has been a challenging yet rewarding experience. It has been challenging in the sense that it takes a lot of dedication, especially with all the work required for GSAT preparation.

“It has been rewarding because the content was very relevant and the practice exercises were GSAT-centred. The competitiveness of the programme also kept me on my toes and kept me reading and acquiring information which in turn helped me with GSAT,” said the schoolboy who will be attending Kingston College in September and wants to one day become a medical doctor.

In his testimonial, Jordano also said: “At times my EduFocal mates cheered me on and others dared me to win, and this brought fun and excitement to it.”

Jordano, who had only been part of the EduFocal platform for six months, said he would encourage other primary school students to join the platform as it helps to understand things that are not taught in the classroom.

The newly crowned champion boy, who won for himself a tablet from Courts Jamaica, gift certificate from Bresheh, along with $50,000, hailed his parents, Garnett and Julie-Ann Campbell, whom he said: “Realised that in order to be part of their child’s success they have to be a part of the journey”.

Shanoya, who also won similar prizes, was equally elated about her win and had high praises for EduFocal.

“I am happy. I am grateful… I am happy that I was the winner,” said the aspiring psychiatrist, who lives by the philosophy, “Excellence is not an option, it is a prevailing attitude”.

According to her, “The experience at EduFocal has been great, it helps me a lot; it impacted my school work greatly and I got to learn so many things from different subjects that I didn’t even start learning as yet, such as biology, information technology and physics.”

Shanoya added: “It has been a great experience because not only can you learn new stuff, but you get to communicate with friends in a safe environment where you know that you are being watched and you know what you you can do and cannot do.”

Having been a participant on the platform for two years, she said it has inspired her to sit three CSEC subjects, English language, mathematics and biology, when she gets to third form.

In the meantime, Jaida Lalor, a 10-year-old grade five from George Headley Primary School student, was the youngest person among the winners. She placed sixth in the GSAT category.

When asked how difficult the competition was for her since she was competing against grade six students, she said: “It was very challenging, but I am glad I came sixth. I normally use the site and it helps me also in getting good grades at school.”

Jaida, along with all the other awardees, were also presented with tablets.

Tanya Campbell, a teacher at Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High whose daughter topped the GSAT category last year, also extolled the benefits of using the platform and encouraged other parents to get their children involved.

She said her daughter was born with a severe case of myopia and had trouble seeing the words on the platform because of the small font size, but EduFocal quickly realised her difficulties and made the necessary changes.

“I remember she was using it one evening and I heard her screaming and I said, ‘What’s wrong?’, and she said, ‘Mommy the words dem big, dem big, big yuh see; me can see dem good now’, and I went and looked and the font size was increased. So she was up late nights and early morning and the competition was very stiff with her and Bisson. She enjoyed it and she got a 92 per cent and she is now at Wolmer’s High School for Girls doing extremely well,” Campbell said.

“I just want to tell the EduFocal team that I am one of their biggest supporters. I tell everybody about EduFocal. I tell the parents at the school I teach, I encourage people on social media,” she said.

Meanwhile, the co-founder and chief executive officer of EduFocal Gordon Swaby, who thanked all the stakeholders for their support, told parents and teachers not to worry about the transition from GSAT to the Primary Exit Profile (PEP)test as EduFocal will be ready.

“I know that there is a lot of anxiety among parents and I am saying don’t worry, EduFocal’s got you. We will be ready and we are putting things in place to make sure that we are 100 per cent ready for the transition,” he said.