While Naparima Girls’ High School celebrated its victory of 45 scholarships and the President’s Medal, two of its students received news that they had emerged as the top performers in Modern Studies and Foreign Languages in the Caribbean.
The news came while school principal Carolyn Bally-Gosine distributed trophies and prizes during the school’s annual prize-giving ceremony held at Susamachar Presbyterian Church, yesterday.
Shortly after President’s Medal winner Ashisha Persad, 18, received an armful of trophies and the Lalita Ltd award for her outstanding results, Bally-Gosine announced that Vasha Maharaj and Nadia Ali had the highest regional scores.
Both girls said they were totally shocked over their achievement.
Maharaj, of Mendez Village, Siparia, said she was humbled to have been named the top regional student for Foreign Languages—French and Spanish—and Literature.
“I was satisfied getting all 1’s and I was overjoyed when I saw that I got all distinctions. I couldn’t even describe what I felt when I heard I got a scholarship, so now having to hear that I am the top regional student is overwhelming. I am at a loss for words,” Maharaj said.
She said her love for languages made her studies easy.
“I am passionate about foreign languages. I love French and Spanish so it never felt like a chore to me. I love literature so I wouldn’t count my work as studying because I did it for the enjoyment,” she said.
Foreign languages, she said, enabled her to write her innermost thoughts and feelings.
“No other subject does that,” she said. Despite her love for languages, Maharaj said she planned to study law or psychology.
“I wanted to be a foreign correspondent but I am debating the pros and cons of constant travel. I took the year off to do SAT’s. I am heading outside of T&T to study and most likely I may do law or psychology,” Maharaj said.
Meanwhile, Ali credited her success to her 69-year-old grandmother Jairoon Navsa.
“I did this for my grandmother. She is the closest person to me. She didn’t have as much educational opportunities as I did, so to be able to get this achievement is a big deal to her,” Ali said.
She also thanked her parents—David Ali, a lecturer at the University of T&T and Nadira Navsa-Ali, a primary school teacher at Vos Government Primary School—for supporting her.
Ali said she enjoyed going to the gym, swimming and playing the guitar. Both girls said they studied a minimum of three hours per day, adding that their teachers were instrumental in shaping their success.
San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein, who spoke at the function yesterday, said the success of the 45 scholarship winners would motivate other students.
He promised to give the keys of the city to the President’s Medal winner. Saying there was a shortage of role models in T&T, Hosein urged the students to always strive for success but to never compromise their morals and integrity.
Presbyterian Moderator Rev Annabell Lalla-Ramkelawan also commended the students and the staff for their excellence, saying the achievement set a new record for the school.