Kevin Williams, the 2006 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination all-island top performer, holds the Cable and Wirelss Jamaica-sponsored trophy he received for his achievement.

Paul H. Williams, Gleaner Writer

The cool rainy weather and tranquil environment of Glenmuir High School were refreshing, 'Far from the Madding Crowd' to use the name of a Thomas Hardy book. The students were neatly dressed, and their smiling faces made up for the absence of the sun. But, what about the hype and the 'bling'? I did not see any. I could see why excellence is synonymous with this institution, which was founded in 1958. And, Kevin Williams epitomises that excellence.

His performance in the 2006 CXC Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate was the best in the island, having obtained 10 distinctions with very high profiles, 29 A's out of a possible 31. This performance is in stark contrast to the issues I raised in an article headlined, "Why our boys underperform", in The Sunday Gleaner, of October 8, last year. In the said article, I put forward the reasons I thought many Jamaican boys were not achieving academically. But, Kevin is an achiever. So, journeying to Clarendon to speak with him, his teachers and schoolmates, about his success and the academic performance of Jamaican boys was a pleasure; he is simply the best.

Balance

In a very casual manner, the former student of Race Course Primary School said, "My recipe for success is balance, because it makes no sense that you study all the time, don't play, don't take a break, eventually you will get worn out and getting worn out before the exams is no good, so you have to make sure you have some leisure time, while also devoting yourself to your studies." This seems to be a good recipe, because it has paid off, and Kevin insisted that you can have your cake and eat it. 'Delicious' is how he described his cake.

However, his cake and the story of his life were not always that delectable. For, unlike many students who excel, Kevin is from a very humble background, one without the trappings of rich society, which is perhaps what motivated him. Natasha Thomas, a former teacher of his, in speaking glowingly of Kevin, said: "The fact that he is not from a wealthy background motivated him to prove that you don't necessarily have to be from an affluent background to excel." Though he doesn't have everything at his disposal, he has used the limited resources that he has effectively.

In addition to the prudent use of the little he has, there are other factors in his equation of success - the support of family, teachers and friends, and the Water Lane community on the Vere plains in Clarendon. His teachers and friends described him as a model student, who is determined, focused, highly self-motivated, and who has a positive attitude towards work.

Extremely proud

Glenmuir High School sixth-formers, Jomain McKenzie (head boy), Kerrie-Ann Cameron, Shanette Dempster, Peter Campbell and Kevin Williams, the 2006 CSEC all-island top performer, discuss a point of interest in one of their textbooks, during a break, on March 21. - Photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Jomain McKenzie, head boy, said: "We are extremely proud of him as the Glenmuir family, he's not the sort who is just born bright, he really worked hard."

Working hard is not a part of the mindset of many male students, and so they lag behind. This is why Kevin's achievement is so significant. "His performance has shown that boys can do extremely well academically and I think that Kevin has proven that in order to be successful you don't have to adopt the bad man mentality - he has shown that boys can perform just as well as girls can, and even better since he is the top performing (CSEC) student in Jamaica, - declared Miss Thomas.

This top performing student believes that boys need to assign more importance to their studies in order to do better. He believes "they don't value or see as much importance in getting educated as the girls do. Girls think that education is their way out, while boys just feel like it's just something else to do, not really of that vast importance." Too much of the focus is placed elsewhere, and while admitting to listening to dancehall music, he also thinks too much attention is being paid to the negative aspects of it, which can be a deterrent. He suggested that students avoid songs that convey violent messages, spend less time concentrating on the hype and the 'bling' and strike a balance.

Another factor that he attributed to the low performance, is sex. According to this 18-year-old, "Sex, I think is a big contributor - it's not just a physical thing, it also involves some psychological aspects, and once you start, it really does distract you from your school work." This distraction can be lessened if Jamaican men assumed a more responsible and influential role in their sons' life.

His own father is very supportive, beaming as he said, "My father has made his contribution and he continues to make his contribution in terms of my education - he really does support me in what I do - he would even do my chores for me and bring me drinks when I am studying." This is all a part of the support he gets from his family, who gives him space to do what he wants to do. "They gave me a break from my chores coming up to exams so I was able to study," he said.

What they say

Kevin might not know how significant his success is to his school, particularly to the other male students, and to the wider society by extension, but here is what his peers and his former teacher had to say about the impact he has had.

Tiffany Case: "He is showing other young men that they aren't supposed to be marginalised - He's inspired other students to do better and he actually pushes them to do their best."

Alexia-Rae Allen: "He has surpassed many boundaries in being the boy who came first in CXC, coming from a humble background."

Jomain McKenzie: "Kevin gives us a high level of hope, because as much as Glenmuir experiences achievements over and over - there aren't many that (come) from the males, and I'm really proud that Kevin has created a standard for many other young boys to live up to."

Miss Thomas: "I believe that he has not only set a good example for the students here at Glenmuir, but for the society at large, and I think it's a very encouraging thing that has been achieved by Kevin. We live in a society where the girls generally outperform the boys academically speaking, but Kevin has set the stage for other young men to live up to."

The stage that Kevin set has its foundation concretised in the teaching styles and effort of the teachers at Glenmuir. "At Glenmuir, it is almost innate for (students) to strive for the best in all things, and I think that Kevin just felt that he had an obligation to live up to the standards that have be set over the years," is how Jomain puts it.

However, it was not always smooth sailing though, because just as all students Kevin has his challenges. Confusion with certain concepts sets in occasionally, and not wanting to study at times is an issue he grapples with. Then, the I-can't-be-bothered temptation creeps into his psyche sometimes. But he bothered. Why? He explained, "I bothered because of my dream of becoming a dermatologist, and the high expectations of the teachers at Glenmuir, my family, even people in my community."

For more on Kevin Williams, see today's Youthlink.

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