KHALIL Kelly was ecstatic, but surprised, at his performance in the 2018 Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

He attained seven distinctions in the seven subjects he sat while in grade 10 at the Prospect College in St Mary, close to the St Ann border.

He earned distinctions in English Language, Information Technology, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business and Social Studies.

“It’s still kind of hard to believe. I didn’t expect to get seven ones,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Friday as he celebrated his performance.

Kelly, a standout at the semi-military Prospect College in St Mary said his teachers were confident that he could have done well in all the exams at grade 10, yet, he still doubted himself about getting all ones.

“The exams to me were a bit challenging… I’m still kind of surprised,” he said.

Kelly, who is from Steer Town in St Ann, said he is grateful that his teachers believed in him.

He told the Sunday Observer that Prospect College has made a positive impact in his life because before going to the institution in 2016, he was doing poorly in high school.

“Before I came here I was not really performing satisfactorily,” he said, explaining that it was his mother who made the decision that he would attend Prospect College.

Kelly said he has seen a complete change in his life since he started at Prospect College. He explained that the nature of the institution pushed him to perform at his best.

“I had no choice but to perform,” he said.

While he now has high praises for the institution, Kelly said that when he started it was very tough for him.

“Because of the type of institution, semi-military, it was very challenging when I start,” he stated.

He said his mother encouraged him when he thought he would not be able to fit in at the boarding institution.

Now heading to grade 11, Kelly is the top student leader — cadet captain. This for him is a major accomplishment because when he started out at Prospect College, he said he was at one of the lowest levels in the leadership rank. The institution has a ranking system similar to the military.

“In January, in grade 10, I was promoted to officer in charge of the farm,” he said.

At the school’s graduation ceremony in July he was chosen from a batch of outstanding students to lead the school population for the school year 2018/2019.

Kelly, who hopes to pursue a career in Information Technology, said he will be sitting other subjects at the CSEC level in 2019 as well as doing subjects in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination.