In his June 6 New York Times article Rising Above I.Q., Nicholas D. Kristof wrote: "In the mosaic of America, three groups that have been unusually successful are Asian-Americans, Jews and West Indian blacks - and in that there may be some lessons for the rest of us.

West Indian blacks, those like Colin Powell, whose roots are in the Caribbean, are one-third more likely to graduate from college than African Americans as a whole, and their median household income is almost one-third higher, he wrote. "

Jamaican American Kevin Maragh, middle son of Raymond and Elaine Maragh of Roslyn, New York, and Clarendon, is among the group. Kevin recently graduated from New York Law School, then passed the New York State Bar.

College sweetheart

On May 30, he married his college sweetheart, Lauren Pettiford; they met when they studied for their undergraduate degrees at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, USA. Two weeks prior to their marriage, Lauren received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.

Raymond (Bob) Maragh hails from Hayes, Clarendon, and Elaine (Sandford) Maragh of Sanguinetti, Clarendon. He is the grandson of the late Bassdeaw and Lilly Maragh of Hayes. Kevin's maternal grandparents, Ephel and Pearline Sandford, currently reside in Sanguinetti. He has aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives residing in various parts of Jamaica.

Lauren (Pettiford) Maragh is the daughter of Mr Michael E. Pettiford and Mrs Karen (Wall) Pettiford of Dublin, Ohio, USA.

Kevin's older brother, Dr Marlon Maragh, is the chief of musculosketal radiology at St Agnes Hospital, Maryland. His younger brother, Brandon, is a music producer and graduate of the Clive Davis Department at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, New York University.

Classic diligence

Cited as a crucial factor for the success of West Indians in Kristof's article are "the classic diligence and hard work associated with immigrants, and intact families. The upshot is higher family incomes and fathers more involved in child-rearing."

The newlyweds enjoyed a Caribbean honeymoon.