Marcella Riley

Marcella Riley of Wolmer's High School for Girls could not afford to attend extra classes but she managed to gain nine ones in the 2006 CSEC examinations.

"I was overwhelmed when I got my results. I was so happy because I did not go to any extra class because I know it would be extra stress for my mother who is a single parent," an excited Marcella told The Gleaner yesterday.

"The fact that I didn't go to extra lessons pushed me harder to work and I was, therefore, not surprised with my grades," the 17-year-old added.

She also attributed her success to God, her family, teachers and friends.

A medical doctor in the making, Marcella says she will be returning to Wolmer's High School for Girls when school reopens to pursue the sciences at the CAPE level.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, teaching and watching television.

Marcella lives in Waterford, Portmore, St. Catherine, with her mother Sharon Bartlett, a merchandiser with Jamaica Broilers Limited, and her two brothers and one sister.

She got ones for biology, chemistry, physics, geography, Spanish, food and nutrition, English literature, English language and mathematics.

- Petrina Francis