Kaywana Raeburn – 2001, St Joseph’s Convent, Grenada

The last time The Caribbean Examiner magazine caught up with Kaywana Raeburn, the 2001 Most Outstanding Candidate Overall in the CSEC examinations, she had just won the Island Scholarship in Grenada and was a Research Assistant in the Ministry of Economic Affairs Division of the Ministry of Finance. This was in 2003.

A lot has happened since then to this spark from the Spice Isle.

She went on to study Economics and Mathematics at UWI St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago. As expected, Kaywana passed with flying colours – First Class Honours!

Kaywana is now enrolled at the Prestigious McGill University in Canada pursing a Masters degree in Economics. She commenced the programme in August 2008.

Kaywana won the Most Outstanding Candidate Overall prize in 2001 while a student at St Joseph’s Convent, St Georges. The lady from St Patrick’s copped the award with Grade Is in 11 subjects.

Neisha Burton – 1994, Convent High, Dominica

In 1994 Neisha Burton became the second student from the Nature Isle of Dominica to cop the Regional Top Award. The following year she started A’ Levels at the Clifton Dunpigny Community College in Dominica. She studied four subjects and gained Grade A in all four, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics. These excellent results landed her the Dominica National Scholarship in 1996.

The prize included a four-year scholarship to Oxford University in the United Kingdom. While at Oxford, Neisha distinguished herself as an all-round student. She graduated with a Master of Engineering degree (MEng) in Engineering and Computer Science with distinction in 2001.

As part of her studies, Neisha conducted a formal research project entitled “Automatic Face Detection of Images” for which she received a First Class/Distinction Award. The project created customised software for face detection.

After graduating in 2001, Neisha worked with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in Canada. She moved back to the Caribbean in 2003 and joined Cable and Wireless Dominica as an Internet/IT Specialist and was later promoted to Assistant Engineer of IT and Internet Services. The last time CXC heard from Neisha was working with Cable and Wireless (now LIME) in Antigua and Barbuda as Vice President of Internet and Data.

Masumi Rankine-Rivers, 1988- St Augustine Girls School

Masumi created regional education history when in 1988 she became the first student to win the CXC Regional Top Award. Then a student at the St Augustine Girls School, Masumi distinguished herself with nine Grade Is in Art, Biology, Chemistry, English A, English B, Geography, Mathematics, Physics and Spanish.

Masumi then pursued a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry and Management at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

One year later she moved to the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados to pursue a Master of Science in Marine Resources and Environmental Management.

Masumi also completed an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in 2006.

She has worked as a Research Assistant with a consultancy firm and with the Department of Economics at UWI. She also served as an Officer with the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards before migrating to Canada.

Masumi is married and have two children - Ayumi and Aaron.

Amlata Persaud, 1997 Queen’s College, Guyana

After her success at CXC, Amlata pursued A’ Levels at Queen’s College and continued involvement in extra-curricular activities.

During 2000, she was adjudged the Best Presenter at the National Youth Parliament. In that year, she was also awarded the Champion Speller Trophy in the Senior Individual Category of the International Spelling Competition held at UWI Cave Hill in Barbados.

In 2001, Amlata emerged as the most outstanding Guyanese student at the A’level examinations with As in English Literature, Economics, Law and French. She received several awards including the President of Guyana Award for this performance.

Based on her excellent A’ level results she was admitted to Oxford University in October 2001, where she studied for a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

During that time, Amlata was awarded the Oxford Prize for the Best Essay in Politics.

In December 2003, Amlata won the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and pursued post-graduate studies at Oxford University majoring in Economics.

Dr Christine Searwar

In 2001 Christine Searwar of the Bishops’ High School in Guyana received the CSEC Regional Top Award for Outstanding performance in Science. She received Grade I in nine subjects including four Science subjects. She then went on to do her Advance studies at Queen’s College in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. She obtained As and Bs for the GCE subjects and Grade I in CAPE Chemistry. Using the scholarship offered by the CXC Regional Top Award, Christine entered the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UWI, St Augustine, Trinidad to pursue the MBBS degree in 2003.

It was a great pleasure when on July 21 2008 CXC received a letter from Christine expressing her gratitude for the Regional Top Award Prize and informing the Council of her progress.

“I wrote the Phase II/Stage II MBBS final examination in June 2008 and was successful,” Christine’s letter stated. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for all of the assistance given to me throughout the years of my study in Trinidad.”

She is now employed with the Ministry of Health as a Medical Intern at the Port of Spain General Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago.

Christine has blazed the trail for many other CXC Regional Top Awardees. Recently two of her fellow Queen’s College graduates have followed her path. Shirvarnie Persaud, the 2006 Most Outstanding Performer Overall and Valencia Bailey, the 2006 Most Outstanding Performer in Science commenced medical studies at the St Augustine Campus and Mona Campus respectively.

Akima Paul – 1998, St Joseph’s Convent, Grenada

Akima Paul was the second Grenadian to win the award for Most Outstanding Candidate Overall with 11 subjects in 1998. The St Joseph’s Convent student also copped the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in the Arts.

She then went on to do A’ Levels at the T A Marryshow Community College. Based on her excellent performance, she earned Grenada’s National Island Scholarship which she used to attend the prestigious Cambridge University in the United Kingdom and read for an MA in Law. Akima also studied for a Maitrise (Master 1) in French Law at the University Pantheon- Assas in Paris.

After completion of the Legal Practice Course, Akima now works with a leading international law firm in London, Lovells LLP, as a Solicitor.