7 News Belize

Excellence In Academics Awarded
posted (November 26, 2010)
Usually in the top segment of the newscast - it's mostly bad news, crime or some kind of scandal - but tonight we'll even things out a bit by taking a look at some students who've achieved excellence in their studies.

Scores of students who excelled on the 2010 CXC examinations were honored in a massive ceremony at the Princess today. These are students who excelled on the CSEC for high school and CAPE for sixth form examinations.

Leading the way was Dorien Villafranco who was the best in the region with a stunning 15 grade one passes in the C-SEC. Andrea Polanco asked his family what every parent wants to know: what's the recipe for excellence?:

Audrey Villafranco, Dorein's Mother
"it's quite an honorable moment for us and humbling as well to watch our son from baby and now grown up and entering college and to have achieve so much, for us he is still our kid, our little boy and I guess he will always be but it's quite an honorable experience and we are humble by it all."

Marcelino Villafranco, Dorien's Father
"I feel very proud it's an accomplishment that it's the first time in Belize and in the region. We and the family has nurtured him from very young and we say thanks to the family, teachers, everybody who help along and he has made the family proud and we are happy for that."

Dorien Villafranco, CSEC Most Outstanding Candidate
"I'm definitely excited, its pleasing to see that all my hard work is recognize and I just hope that Belize can continue this momentum and perhaps do the same thing again next year."

Andrea Polanco
"What are some of the things that you taught him that have help him this far?"

Audrey Villafranco, Dorein's Mother
"I think it starts with having him create a conscious awareness of his surroundings, putting God first in his life, that have been a very unequivocal point in our life and we have just supported him. I guess you heard in his interview he spoke about wanting to do aeronautical engineering and as parents you know that's a little eye opening and cause for raising of the brows but not one day did we say that that was too much for you, you want to go there - like I mention to one of his teachers just now - you set the pace and we will follow with the parade."

Marcelino Villafranco, Dorien's Father
"Well for her being more at home because I work down south but it's mostly love, the support and the encouragement we give him, that's basically the fine lines."

Andrea Polanco
"I know that you have probably been subjected to peer pressure, you know - lets go to this party, you are in that age range. How have you been able to withstand that for 4 years and still come out on top?"

Dorien Villafranco, CSEC Most Outstanding Candidate
"I think it's just time management, you set aside some time for pleasure and set aside most of your time dedicated to school work and everything just turn out well in the end."

Jasmini Bowen, SCA - CSEC Outstanding Candidate
"I am very proud and nervous and it was a very big accomplishment for me in my life and I'm really grateful, I really just want to thank God for being there for me and God was always there for me throughout my hardships, throughout the struggles in 4th form. My parents and my teachers, they were so dedicated in helping me. It was a very intense preparation; it was a lot of studying and assignments, a lot of after school classes."

Anna Gilharry, Rodyn's Mother
"It's overwhelming, very proud of him, He knew he would do quite well and he said he would go to the internet every evening to see who got the highest. So he was just waiting and see. From infants he was always first and not only him - all of my children, I must say praise God that all of my children are honor roll students in whatever they do. We are a Christian family and so we are always guiding in the ways of God."

Abraham Gilharry, Rodyn's Father
"As parents we have coach him you know but he is the one that have done the major work, he is the one that has gone to school and we send them to school, we try the best, but they are the ones that have to do the work, they are the ones that have to do everything so I am very happy for Rodyn, I would say to all the students of Belize - work hard and you will reap benefits."

Andrea Polanco
"How did Rodyn prepare for these CAPE examinations?"

Anna Gilharry, Rodyn's Mother
"Rodyn is a very determine young man, he like to experiment, he like to discover new things, we had to really watch what you are doing but he is very determine in what he sets his mind to do."

Abraham Gilharry, Rodyn's Father
"He would go sleepless, he would go throughout the night studying and pushing his projects, well he was like a leader in his group in school so he just did his best."

Andrea Polanco
"You are named outstanding candidate in the CAPE examination. Is this an achievement that you expected?"

Nitin Pagarani, SCEJC-CAPE Outstanding Candidate
"Well it was very hard to achieve but when IU started junior college it was something that I hope to achieve and hope to gain so I am really glad it work out in the end and I am here receiving this award."

Andrea Polanco
"What kind of work did you put in to past all these CAPE examinations?"

Nitin Pagarani, SCEJC-CAPE Outstanding Candidate
"Well I stayed up very long nights, stayed up until about 3am drinking coffee, hot chocolate and I prayed and read a lot of books. I guess that help me and I had very good teachers and the dean of our college is very good as well so I am happy."

Dorien Villafranco will be travelling to the Turks and Caicos Islands on December 2nd to receive his regional award. He also won a full scholarship to UWI for being the best student in the region. His high school, Saint John's College was named high school of the year in the region.

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