ONCE again emerging as the top Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) student is Queen’s College’s Cecil Cox, followed by colleagues Larissa Wiltshire and Sasha Woodroffe, who all secured Grade One passes in six units.
St. Rose’s High’s Shonta Noel has also emerged as an outstanding performer at this year’s CAPE sitting, the results of which were announced last Thursday.
Cox secured Grade One passes in all seven of his CAPE Unit One subjects at last year’s sitting, and has once again managed to secure passes in seven subjects this year in Communication Studies; Applied Mathematics; Chemistry; Pure Mathematics; Physics; Digital Media; and Computer Science, in which latter subject he attained a Grade Three pass.
“The more effort you put in, the better the results,” advised a proud Cox when contacted by the Chronicle on Thursday last. Maintaining his position on pursuing a career in computer science, Cox said he is elated, as he is nearing his goal.
“I’m excited! My routine was basically reading text books and working question papers during the examinations period,” he said.
Close on Cox’ heels is Wiltshire, who attained Grade One passes in Applied Mathematics; Biology; Caribbean Studies; Chemistry; Environmental Science; and Pure Mathematics.
“It took a lot of dedication and hard work,” Larissa said. “I used to study one subject per day for about three hours after I returned home from lessons. In addition, I read my textbooks every chance I got in order to constantly refresh the information in my mind. Coming closer to the exam, specifically six weeks before, I dedicated a week to each subject, so that I could really focus and retain all the information.”
The aspiring dentist credits her success to the dedication of her teachers at Queen’s College, as well as her extra lessons teachers, her family and God. Larissa is a national squash player, and has recently moved up to the U-19 Division.
Attaining Grade One passes in Accounting, Communication Studies, Applied Mathematics, Economics and Pure Mathematics is Sasha Woodroffe, who is proud that all her hard work has yielded positive results.
“I’ll be heading to UWI St Augustine to study Actuarial Science, and I want to say thanks to God, my family, teachers, and to all those people who would have offered me support, or expressed belief in me at any time,” said a beaming Woodroffe.
St. Rose’s Secondary has managed to top the list of outstanding performers, as its proud 19-year-old student; Shonta Noel attained Grade One passes in Caribbean Studies, Tourism, Accounting, Law, Management of Business and Entrepreneurship, and a Grade Two pass in Economics.
“I am very proud of myself and teachers and having given my school recognition. I want to be an economist, so I’ll be attending the University of Guyana and also starting my Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) programme soon, so that one day I can become the Minister of Finance!” Noel told media operatives on Thursday at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) in Kingston, Georgetown.
Noel wrote the examinations last year, and secured six Grade One passes and a Grade Two. Sonia Noel, Guyana’s established fashion designer and proud mother of Shonta, on a social media post said she was overjoyed when she heard the news of her daughter’s CAPE results.
“She got six Grade ones and a Grade two this year, making it nine ones and 2 twos overall. These results made her the top 6th Form student of her school, St Rose’s High. When I attended her CSEC graduation in 2013, she whispered in my ears, ‘Mom, my name will be on the top performers shield, and I will be valedictorian’,” said the proud mother.
Aiming to become the President of Guyana one day is Queen’s College’s Phillipe Walker, who gained five Grade One passes; two Grade Twos and two Grade Threes at this year’s sitting. Walker said he is indeed happy about his achievement, though he could have done better.
“I am grateful for having placed among the top performers. I owe this all to God, my hardworking and dedicated parents, and the wonderful teachers and staff of Queen’s College. My next path is not known. I, however, wish to become the President of Guyana one day, and I think I will lean to political studies for the future. I’ve been trying to get a scholarship since CSEC, when I placed third, but I wasn’t able to,” said the proud scholar.
Walker has participated in a host of activities during the course of this year, and served as Head Prefect of Queen’s College, and was adjudged the best speaker of Youth Parliament 2015, where he was positioned as the Leader of the Opposition.
“I advise all students to use their syllabus while studying, and stay focused and never allow anyone to deter them from their goals,” concluded the aspiring President.
The overall pass rate this year is 87.54 per cent as opposed to last year’s 85.07 per cent. An increase was however noted in the number of candidates securing Grades One to Five passes.

By Shivanie Sugrim