PHILIPSBURG – The top students of the Foundation Based Exit (FBE) Exams were honored with a ceremony at the New Government Building on Monday, July 3.
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Silveria Jacobs ensured that the tradition of honoring the top elementary students continued. The students were invited to a ceremony, where they were either nominated for the overall nationwide top students, or top student(s) in a subject. The students were awarded HP laptops, Samsung tablets, as well as gift vouchers from Office World, Blue Point and Van Dorp Eddine.
Minister Jacobs encouraged the students to “Strive to be the best in your academics, sports, swimming dance, and anything else that you consider your passion, or dream, but remember, to have the best characters. People will remember you for who you are, and not what you’ve done or accomplished.”
The top students as well as the valedictorians of the various elementary schools were highlighted at the ceremony, as the valedictorians were not honored by the Minister during the school leaving ceremonies.
The students will also receive a lunch date with the Minister in groups of five. Each month, a group of five students will have a contact session lunch date with the Minister, where the students will be able to have discussions with the Minister as well as update her on their academic and social status.
The Top 5 Nationwide Overall students are:
Akarsh Bhatia with a score of 90% – St. Joseph Primary School
Saheli Kirpalani with a score of 88% – St. Joseph Primary School
Nysette Gomes with a score of 88% – Sr. Magda Primary School
Diya Agnani with a score of 86% – St. Dominic Primary School
Jayleen Javier-Fana with a score of 86% – Helmich Snijders – CHS
There were 14 top students ranking 1 through 5 for Dutch, 15 students for English, 24 for Mathematics and 24 for General Knowledge. Out of the rankings, it was decided to honor the students who placed number 1 in the subject.
Top student in Dutch:
Nysette Gomes with a score of 94% – Sr. Magda Primary School
Top student in English:
Akarsh Bhatia with a score of 97% – St. Joseph Primary School
Top students in General Knowledge:
Zanzi Brook with a score of 83% – Asha Stevens – CHS
Chirag Ramchandani with a score of 83% – M.A.C. Browlia F. Maillard
Kristopher Ruan Moriso with a score of 83% – St. Maarten SDA Primary School
Top students in Mathematics:
Saheli Kirpalani with a score of 99% – St. Joseph Primary School
Diya Agnani with a score of 99% – St. Dominic Primary School
Anjali Ramchandani with a score of 99% – St. Dominic Primary School
Juliette Duvillage with a score of 99% – M.A.C. Browlia F. Maillard
Nicholas Jeffrey with a score of 99% – St. Dominic Primary School
Valedictorian per school:
Saheli Kirpalani – St. Joseph Primary School
Nysette Gomes – Sr. Magda Primary School
Diya Agnani – St. Dominic Primary School
Jayleen Javier-Fana – Helmich Snijder – CHS
Diya Chantani – St. Maarten SDA Primary School
Juliette Duvillage – M.A.C. Browlia F. Maillard
Zanzi Brook – Asha Stevens – CHS
Jessica Su – Sr. Regina Primary School
Donna Tjaden – Sr. Regina Primary School
Christopher Naar – Sr. Marie Laurence Primary School
Selina Collymore – M.A.C. Rev. John A. Gumbs
Ezekiel Woods – Sr. Borgia Primary School
Keisha Rize – Dr. Martin Luther King Primary School
Ellis Joanne Emison Ocano – Ruby Labega Primary School
Ze Hui Su – Oranje School
Kazim Griffith – Leonald Conner School
Casmi Phebe – Marie Genevieve de Weever Primary School
Alessandro Jones – Prins Willem Alexander Primary School
The students received encouragement and well wishes from the acting Secretary General ECYS Shermina Powell-Richardson, who was also in attendance at the ceremony.
The Ministry ECYS and the Minister again congratulated all the students on their achievements and also thanked the various entities for supplying the awards for the students, as well as the caterers and the interior designers for assisting in making the ceremony special.
