Monique Wilson is a sixteen-year-old young woman who dominated her Caribbean Secondary Examinations Council (CSEC) examinations. 

Wilson, who recently graduated from Wolmer’s Trust High School for Girls, sat nine CSEC subjects and attained grade ones in all of them, namely: 

Mathematics, English A, English B, Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM), Family and Resource Management, Geography, Human and Social Biology, Information Technology and Social Studies.

Our teenAGE reporter recently had the chance to interview her about her remarkable success.

teenAGE: Which grade surprised you the most and why?

Monique: The grade that surprised me the most was English A because I am more of a Mathematics student, and English A was my weakest area. I was not good with grammar and writing essays, letters, stories and so much more.

teenAGE: How did you prepare for your exams?

Monique: I prepared for my exams by having sleepless nights to ensure that I covered the necessary information for the exam. I also ensured that I used the syllabus as a guide so I didn’t miss any topic. In addition, I practised multiple past paper questions for every subject to a feeling of the exam questions. Also, I had my education as my main priority, and surrounded myself with friends who had the same priority.

teenAGE: Who would you like to thank for supporting you so you attain these grades?

Monique: I most definitely would like to thank God, my teachers and my mother for helping me to achieve these grades, because it would not be possible without them.”

teenAGE: What is next for you?

Monique: After my extraordinary achievement in CSEC 2019, I intend on entering sixth form for the 2019-2021 period to sit my Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) and perform well again.

teenAGE: Based on your experience, what advice would you give to TEENS who will be doing CSEC exams next year? 

Monique: To TEENS who will be sitting CSEC exams next year, set your priorities straight. This is the exam that will determine your future and it should be taken seriously. Ensure that your School Based Assessments (SBAs) are done to the best of your ability as they contribute a lot to your final grade. Make sacrifices for these exams because the results, in the end, will be worth it. Furthermore, if you aren’t performing well in a subject, invest more time in that subject to avoid failure. Also, practice a lot of past papers because they will be extremely useful for the exam.

teenAGE: What advice do you have for TEENS who are struggling to reach their full potential?  

Monique: I recommend that they take up extra classes for these examinations. Not everyone can grasp everything in between the usual school hours, so it is recommended that they attend extra classes for the subjects with which they are struggling.  

Everyone has the opportunity to excel in these examinations, it just takes dedication, determination, and sacrifices.

Congrats and all the best Monique!

–Kemal Forde