Hard work key for Destini

Top girl in this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination, Destini Lynch, says she made no sacrifices in preparing for the exam and only followed a simple route.The student of Hill Top Preparatory said she did all homework, studied all notes and followed all instructions from the teacher. Destini, who scored 97 per cent in English and 98 per cent in mathematics with a B in the composition, is on her way to Harrison College come September. If she has her wish, she will also be on her way to becoming a doctor, eager to study biology at her new school in pursuit of this dream.Favourite subjectMathematics, however, is her favourite subject and while some students would have been nervous on seeing the maths paper, Destini vividly remembers thinking: “This paper is very easy.” She explained that some of the very same problems she had encountered and solved in class, reappeared on the exam. This, coupled with her photographic memory and extra lessons, aided in her tremendous success.Extra lessonsDestini took lessons two days a week and what was to be one hour of lessons often resulted in two and three hours just to get the work done. This is why Destini advises those preparing for the exam next year that hard work and preparation is needed. Her hard work has definitely paid off and she recalls with ease the day the exam results were announced:“Everyone was calling me and congratulating me. It made me feel happy and proud. I remember seeing top students in the past and thinking I wish I could be a top student one day. I never thought it could come true. I was overjoyed. I want to thank my class teacher Mrs Ramsay and my lessons teacher Mr Salankey.”While Destini had her doubts, her mother Coreen Lynch always knew she would be a success story:“I knew she had the ability to be top student. She made one or two mistakes but I always knew she could do it.”Destini will be one of 20 primary school female students to attend an upcoming two-week camp hosted by Brescia University College in Canada. Confidence-buildingThe camp is entitled LEAD and will be held at the Ursuline Convent. There, Destini will engage in a number of confidence-building activities which will enhance her many hobbies. These include reading, drawing, designing clothes and even exercising, which she enjoys doing to the fullest, describing it as fun.Destini is pleased with the recognition that Hill Top Preparatory has received and hopes that it will encourage more children to come to the school as she knows first-hand they really work hard with the students. (PR)