SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — When 11-year-old Jasonnia Beadle received news that she was the top primary school student in this year’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams she was surprised at her achievement. And she was not alone, as her parents and teachers at Park Mountain Primary and Infant school here were equally amazed, yet jubilant.

It was an achievement celebrated, too, by the Ministry of Education as testament to the resilience of students in the hurricane-ravaged parish which is still recovering from last October’s Hurricane Melissa.

Jasonnia is set to attend the iconic all-girls’ Hampton School in Malvern, St Elizabeth.

“I feel great, and I am extremely proud of myself. I didn’t expect this to happen… I had help from my teachers, my parents, and my family members. They motivated me to do my best,” the youngster told the Jamaica Observer.

Earlier, the tears flowed as she received word of her success in securing her first choice, which she said she chose because it’s an all-girl school. As icing on the cake, she embraced her best friend Camillea Dunkley, who is also set to attend Hampton.

Against the backdrop of Category Five Hurricane Melissa, which tore through western Jamaica and ripped off the roofing at Park Mountain Primary and Infant, Jasonnia said she utilised the weeks of no face-to-face classes to review previous PEP exams.

“I practised by looking at past papers to ensure that I got a very good grade. My favourite subject is language arts, because with it I get to express myself and it involves reading,” she said.

Among her co-curricular activities at school are being a Brownie, and a member of Park Mountain’s cheerleading team.

Jamaica’s top primary school PEP student, 11-year-old Jasonnia Beadle (left), being hugged by her best friend Camillea Dunkley. Both girls will attend Hampton School in September.

She attained a PEP score of 394.2 and was credited as being highly proficient in mathematics and language arts, and got 97 in the Ability Test.

Now Jasonnia, the youngest of four siblings, already has her focus on being a medical professional.

“I want to become either a nurse or a doctor, and I expect to maintain my grades and exceed expectations and just do well,” she said.

“My teacher helped by motivating me to study and to do my work. She ensured that I did my very best. I want to thank my principal who believed in me and always pushed me to do my best, my parents, my sister and my brother who are always motivating me,” she added.

Her mother Natesha Mullings, a store clerk at Better Buy Hardware in Santa Cruz, was overjoyed when she heard of her daughter’s achievement.

“I was at work dealing with customers when I got the call and I had to run. I left all the customers at the desk and ran away screaming,” she said.

“Jasonnia is not a talkative student. She does things on her own, meaning that she doesn’t really call for much support, but I am always there with her, studying with her, and ensuring that she gets the job done. She is always confident,” added Mullings.

Jasonnia’s father, Jason Beadle, a draftsman, shared similar sentiments.

“It has been a joy dropping her off at school in the mornings and picking her up in the evening. I always feel proud to see her walking to the car and she is always neat,” he said.

From left: Principal at Park Mountain Primary and Infant Carlene Williams-Heath, overall top primary school PEP student Jasonnia Beadle, and grade six teacher Dian Dennis.

“She is very artistic and creative — she gets that from me. I am a builder as well, so she loves making things. She has a brightness about her, and from when she was a baby I saw that in her so I am not really surprised that she is the top student. I am very proud right now,” he added.

Principal Carlene Williams-Heath was in a jubilant mood on Monday as she drove onto the school’s compound and was greeted by scores of children and teachers.

“Jasonnia is a committed girl and we were all behind her. As she moves on to Hampton School I want her to go there and just be a trailblazer. We want her to go there and to lift the mandate of excellence that we tooled her with, be an exemplary student, and exceed the expectations,” said Williams-Heath.

She recounted conversations with Jasonnia in preparation for PEP.

“In September I called her and I asked her to make me one wish. ‘You are going to make our school name be called among some top students’ I said. And she said, ‘Miss, I am going to do it.’ She is a very humble, quiet, and brilliant girl.”

The school leader lauded grade six teachers for their dedication in preparing the students for PEP.

“They go the extra mile Monday to Friday. They gave up their Easter holiday. They are not afraid to do just about anything to drive the students to success,” she said.

She highlighted that nine students are set to attend Munro College, eight students for Hampton, as well as eight for St Elizabeth Technical High School.

“The students did so well. I am so proud, so elated,” she said.

She also pointed to the challenges the school faced post Hurricane Melissa.

“God did it. I am elated. I am overly excited. Our theme this year for our graduation is ‘From trial to triumph, we made it’. The trials were many… but we did it,” she said.

For grade six teacher Dian Dennis, Jasonnia’s achievement is a milestone for the school.

“We were severely damaged at school but we returned to school in the last week of November. After we were informed by the ministry of the different components that would be removed from the grade six exams, we started preparing. We have a very competitive grade — I would say 50 per cent of our students are performing excellently. Jasonnia is our top student in the country but there are also [other] students who are also shining,” said Dennis in reference to the school’s cohort of 60 students.

Reacting to Jasonnia’s achievement, Dennis was overwhelmed with emotions.

“Our students are competitive but Jasonnia is someone to reckon with; it is very difficult to beat her in a test or in a quiz. I expected her to do well but when I heard that [she is now] top in the island [for primary schools] oh my God! Words cannot express how I felt,” said Dennis.

In making the announcement Monday, Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon highlighted Park Mountain’s great achievement as a testament to the resilience of Jamaican students who managed to do well in the exams despite the impact of Melissa on their education.

Eleven-year-old Jasonnia Beadle is flanked by her parents, Natesha Mullings and Jason Beadle.