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Thirty-seven wards of the State who excelled in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) have been recognised for their academic achievements.

Mackoy McNish, who received nine distinctions and one credit in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations, is among the students drawn from institutions islandwide. He also passed two subjects with distinction in 2011.

The other recipients were successful in five to nine subjects in the 2012 examinations.

Speaking at the awards ceremony at the Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) auditorium in downtown Kingston, on December 12, Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna, commended the students for their outstanding accomplishments.

She urged them to never allow their circumstances to hinder their performance. “Your circumstance doesn’t determine who you become; it is your choices that do. You are an example of hard work, dedication and stick-to-itiveness,” she said.

The Minister encouraged the recipients to never stop believing in themselves, despite the odds they have to face.

“We need you to believe in yourselves and to not take no for an answer. We need you to dig deeper, reach higher and not allow the system to hold you back,” Ms. Hanna said.

For her part, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Child Development Agency (CDA), Carla Francis Edie, informed that approximately $19 million was spent to educate children in State care, and that the agency is “proud” that the investment is “bearing fruit.”

“I am standing here proud today as a surrogate mother to every child in care, as the CEO of the CDA and a public servant. Well done my children, your accomplishments are a source of encouragement for me, personally and for members of the CDA team. I am truly proud that you have put your education first when many young persons chose a different path,” she said.

Responding on behalf of the awardees, Roshawna Byndloss, expressed appreciation for the recognition.

She urged her colleagues to continue excelling, in spite of the adversities they may be facing. “These awards are motivation for us to continue to strive for excellence,” she said.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Youth and Culture.