Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
MITCHELL
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-old Jayvan Mitchell of Manning's School in Westmoreland is a hard act to follow having copped eight distinctions in the 2005 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.
The confident teenager, who was by no means surprised by his achievements, told The Gleaner he expected to do well since that was his goal.
Jayvan, who considers himself a genius, attributed his success to his mother who relieved him of all his chores so he could prepare adequately for his examinations. He also noted that, without the teachers at Manning's School, his achievements would not have been possible and commended them for the nurturing they provided.
Jayvan describes himself as a talkative young man who has independent views. "I don't like to think that something is bigger than me," he said.
ACTIVITIES
And it is not all work and no play for this whiz. He was involved in his school's debating society, Interact Club, magazine committee, Spanish Club, and was also a member of the Manning's Chorale.
Jayvan, who wants to become an international lawyer and a politician, has begun to realise those dreams as he is back at Mannings' sixth form where he is studying history, literatures in English, Spanish, sociology and communications studies at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) level, the equivalent to GCE A' Level.
"Politics appeals to my personality and I think I am very skilled in the art of leadership," he told The Gleaner.
Asked what were the some of the changes he would make in the society if her were to become the next prime minister, Jayvan said he would stamp out political tribalism as it was one of the reasons for the crime and violence that plague the nation.
He also said he would improve the education system, as there can be no development without education.
"The present education system is elitist where the brightest children come out as high achievers, if I were to become the next prime mister I would make those children get a better chance," he said.
Jayvan, who is aspiring to study at Harvard Law School in the United States, got distinctions for biology, Spanish, history, mathematics, social studies, geography, English literature and English language.
