“I still don’t feel like an over achiever. I just feel like a regular Jane. I hope when I go away to university, I will be able to make my parents proud again,” said Soliel Sachi Baldeosingh, one of this year’s President Medal winners. She was among six students honoured by President Anthony Carmona for their achievement in the national examinations yesterday at the President’s Medal presentation ceremony at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain.
Addressing the students, Carmona called on the awardees and all those from their generation to rise above the example set by the older citizens and be true patriots of the country who does selfless, good deeds. “When you are engaged in the business of goodness, goodness has no reciprocity,” Carmona said. Baldeosingh and Sandeep Maharajh were presented with the President’s Medal Gold in Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE).
Baldeosingh was a student of St Augustine Girls High School (SAGHS) while Maharajh was a former student of Presentation College, Chaguanas. Baldeosingh would begin reading for a degree in law at the London School of Economics. Though she has achieved praise for her achievement in CAPE, Baldeosingh said she never believed that she was the type of person to win the President’s Medal, but now that she has, she knows that she must continue to work hard.
“I feel nervous,” Baldeosingh told T&T Guardian. “Going off to England is the beginning of something new, and I hope that I can make it at the university level. I hope I can live up to this.” Maharajh’s family and schoolmates were there to celebrate his achievement.
“It feels great of course to be able to attend this function. Last year I was here and I saw one of my friends receive the award and now I am here. I am proud that I am able to continue my school’s tradition of excellence. I feel honoured to join this elite group of President Medal winners,” Maharajh said. Maharajh is now a medical student at the University of the West Indies (UWI). However, his experience has not been ideal.
“I started UWI in September and the work is building and getting harder. I don’t want to sound controversial, but I wish that the infrastructure of the UWI campus could reflect the high level of scholars in the institution,” Maharajh said. The President said more students need role models at every level and decided to extend the President’s Medal to students writing the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and Secondary Entrance Assesment (SEA) Examination.
This is the second year students outside of the CAPE degree were honoured for their achievements in their exams.
OTHER TOP ACHIEVERS
Rajeev Ram, a Lower Six student from Naparima College, San Fernando was named the most outstanding student at CSEC. He sat the examinations for 16 subjects in Form Five and earned 13 distinctions and three “normal ones.”
“I want to be a doctor, but so much more. I have always been different and curious about so many things, so I also want to have my own business. I want to go into different fields. All these different subjects will help me focus on my dreams,” Ram said.
Ram was honoured alongside Jesse Ramkhalawan, from SAGHS.
Ramkhalawan earned eleven distinctions, winning her the President’s Medal silver. Ramkhalawan said she wants to study Quantum Mathematics and work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa).
Shivanna Chatoor, the first place winner in SEA was also honoured. Now attending Naparima Girls’ High School, San Fernando Chatoor won the President’s Medial gold for primary education. Her classmate and Cameel Juman, originally from Grand Memorial Presbyterian School, San Fernando was given the President’s Medial sliver.