KINGSTON, Jamaica—Sabrina Dale of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) has distinguished herself as one of the school’s brightest academic stars, having secured an impressive 12 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects.

The 17-year-old honour roll student has earned a reputation for determination, resilience, and leadership, which have helped her to succeed.

Dale completed four CSEC subjects in grade nine with three grade ones in English A, principles of business, and office administration, plus a grade three in electronic document preparation and management.

She further expanded her academic portfolio this year with eight additional subjects, with grade-one distinctions in biology, chemistry, physics, food nutrition and health, information technology, social studies, and mathematics, complemented by a grade two in visual arts.

This brings her total CSEC tally to an impressive 12 subjects to position herself among STETHS’ top academic performers.

“It was so surreal when I heard the results. Honestly, the one subject that I didn’t expect to get the distinction in was physics. I won’t lie, that physics exam was something else, but I promised my physics teacher from the first day I went to class, so she was very proud to hear it,” Dale told JIS News.

Her genuine love for science drives her academic choices and explains her fascination with understanding how the world works, from environmental sciences to social sciences. In fact, her dream is to become a travelling medical practitioner who serves underserved communities worldwide.

This goal is supported by a well-rounded and demanding school life. Dale served as president of the Science and Environment Club, secretary of the Robotics Club, and is actively involved in her community’s Police Youth Club.

Also, in a bold step outside her comfort zone, she even competed in the Miss STETHS pageant, which was an experience she valued for the unique exposure and personal growth it offered.

“I’ve developed a love for this school. Honestly, the teachers here, the administrative staff, my friends, and honestly, I’m not sure if I’m ready to say goodbye to them as yet, but I feel like this school will take the best out of me to perform the best I can,”Dale outlined.

As she prepares for sixth form, she added that the institution allows students to explore diverse interests from art and culinary skills to business and the sciences, while recognising individual learning preferences and maximising each student’s potential.

For his part, principal, Keith Wellington, places Dale’s achievements within the broader context of STETHS’ post-pandemic recovery.

With 275 students sitting CSEC examinations this year, the school has achieved its best overall performance since 2020, signaling a return to pre-COVID academic standards.

“One of the things that I’m very pleased with is the individual results of our top students, because from an individual perspective, those results are able to match some of the best results that we have had in recent times at STETHS. So, I’m pleased,” Wellington said.

“Obviously, the teachers have to take a lot of credit for the performance of the students,” he added.

Unlike some schools where students rely heavily on private tutoring or extra lessons, STETHS students tend to depend primarily on what is taught in the classroom.

As such, the principal believes the results are a testament to teachers’ effectiveness as well as the support of parents, who play a key role in their children’s education.

Looking ahead, STETHS’s focus will be on maintaining accountability among students, teachers, and parents, while strengthening the school’s academic standards beyond pre-pandemic levels.

Mathematics remains a weak area, with pass rates improving, but not yet reaching the desired levels.

“We had improvements in mathematics in terms of percentage passes, but I don’t think the number of students who we have passing is sufficient for CSEC. We think we need to improve the numbers,”Wellington indicated.

Still, he is optimistic that the foundation has been laid and STETHS will continue to position itself as one of the country’s top-performing schools.

—JIS