Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer

Robertson

WESTERN BUREAU:

Twelve-year-old James Robertson, who copped the highest score in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) islandwide, admitted to The Gleaner yesterday that he has never achieved anything this significant.

The humble student, who was one of eight students of the Junior Plus School in St James to sit the exams, said he never thought he would have performed so outstandingly.

A big surprise

"It feels good; I'm so excited cause I've never accomplished so big in my life," James said. "I didn't imagine myself doing that so it came as a big surprise."

James, who describes himself as exciting and acknowledges with humour that he shares his name with a politician, was born and raised in St James. He will be uprooting to attend Campion College in Kingston. This transition, he says, he can manage.

For James it was a lot of hard work, dedication and even the sacrificing of his favourite pastimes, tennis and piano, that afforded him the success he now enjoys. His hard work earned him an average of 97.6 per cent. He scored 100 per cent in mathematics and language arts; 99 per cent in social studies, 98 per cent in science and 91 per cent in communication task.

"I studied a lot, I went to after-school classes, and I started missing out on my after-school activities for about a month and a half so I could spend more time in the classroom," he said.

James said his parents played an integral role in his success, as they helped to test his abilities and were the ones who encouraged him to do evening classes. He also lauded his teachers for filling him with all the knowledge necessary for academic success.

Principal of the institution, Jane Harper, said she was proud of James for his success.

"This is a first for us and we are so proud of James," Harper said.