Eleven-year-old passes CSEC Social Studies

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

As the debate continues over whether geniuses are born or made, 11-year-old Kourtnie Stephenson, a student at the Catherine Hall Primary School in Montego Bay, is showing a little bit of both. Based on her academic prowess, there is no doubt that with natural ability and application, much can be achieved.

Kourtnie may be one of the youngest persons in Jamaica to gain a grade II in Social Studies in CXC and is yet to sit the Grade Six Achievement Test.

"I was watching Smile Jamaica on TVJ (Television Jamaica) one morning and they featured a girl who did social studies and she got a grade III, so I thought I could do better. I actually wanted to do two subjects, but my mother was against it and actually convinced me to do one," she said.

Her mother, Lorris Williams, after much cajoling, enrolled her in a class at the Montego Bay eLearning school with teacher Gavin Edmond in October last year to prepare her for the exam.

"I started late so all the students (high-school students and adults) were way ahead of me. But for me, it was not a challenge at all," Kourtnie said.

She attended classes on Saturdays between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., but as the exam time drew closer in May, Kourtnie also began attending classes on Thursdays.

No television

For Kourtnie, the major negative was that her mother took away her television time and fun time, indicating that she needed time to study for the exam as well as do her regular schoolwork.

"Taking away television to force me to study did not help because I hardly did any schoolwork at home. I really liked the subject and Mr Edmond said I was really grasping it quickly," Kourtnie said.

She sat the exam in May and waited patiently for her grade. The result came and surprised her mother who, despite her early misgivings, was overjoyed.

"I was so overwhelmed with this success. And she has always been confident that she would do well and her father (businessman Kirk Stephenson) and I will be supporting her all the way."

Kourtnie has her sights set on becoming a bank manager but said she does not do very well at mathematics, for which her lowest score is 70 per cent.

So what about the Grade Six Achievement Test?

"That should be quite easy. I will definitely pass that exam. I will be attending Hampton High."

Her favourite personality is the Trinidadian-born American rapper, songwriter, actress, and TV personality, Nicki Minaj.

"I like her. She sings nicely and I like her sense of fashion," she said.

Kourtnie is like any other 11-year-old child, with he favourite cartoon character being Power Puff girl Bubbles. Outside of academics, she enjoys playing hide and seek with her friends, doing art and craft, and playing computer games.