–at academics and sports at annual prize-giving ceremony

By Naomi Marshall

MACKENZIE High on Thursday celebrated yet another year of phenomenal success, at both academics and sports, under the theme, ‘Consolidating our legacy while striving for excellence.’
The occasion was the hosting of its 71st Annual Speech Night and Prize-giving Ceremony, which saw more than 150 students, past and present, and teachers being awarded for their achievements during the academic year, 2016-2017.

According to the school’s principal, Mr Haslyn Small, 80% of the children they sent up passed the National Grade Nine Assessment (NGNA), with 51% passes in Mathematics; 71% in Science; 88% in Social Studies; and 100% in English.
The prize for the school’s NGNA Top Student this year went to Sharlene Wilson.
At the Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC), Mackenzie High got an overall pass rate of 78%, with 144 Grade Ones. Eight of those students were named among the country’s Top 10 performers.

According to a breakdown by subject, Mackenzie High obtained 100% passes in Agricultural Science, Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM), Family and Resource Management, Food, Nutrition and Health, Principles of Accounts, Technical Drawing, Industrial Technology, Textile Clothing and Fashion, and Physical Education.
The prize for the school’s CSEC Top Student this year went to Tyrique Jacobis.

Performance-wise at the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE), Mackenzie High obtained an overall pass rate of 83%, with 100% passes at Agricultural Science Unit 1, Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, Geography Unit 1 and Geography Unit 2. Asher Marks was titled as the top performer at the CAPE level for the entire township of Linden.

According to Principal Small:
“Mackenzie High School has recognised the need for striking a balance between syllabus, books, curriculum and co-curricular activities.”
This led to the recognition of all those who excelled at co-curricular activities in 2017, such as Chantoba Bright, Daniel Williams and Deshawna Skeete, just to name a few who did.
In addition, Bright was awarded Sportswoman of the Year, while Williams was titled Sportsman of the Year.

Presidential adviser on Youth Empowerment, Mr Aubrey Norton, in his remarks noted that the success of Mackenzie High School is dependent on all stakeholders taking up their roles. He advised the awardees to have a vision, and to develop a plan to ensure that they become who they want to be.
“If there is one thing that can take you out of poverty honestly, is that band of education. Take the opportunity; education is surely one of the best ways of emancipation,” Norton said, adding:

“To all of you who would have received awards, ‘Congratulations!’ But you also have a duty to help those that didn’t receive awards. A lot of times we become selfish with our knowledge; and so I urge you to remove the selfishness that characterises our society, and recognise that education form in a communal way with each of us helping each other will cause us to succeed.”

In closing, he urged the awardees to become leaders and not a band of followers.
“If you don’t solve problems,” he said, “you wouldn’t progress. If you get everything on a platter, you wouldn’t get the best…

“I urge you to utilise the skills that you pursue; I urge you to utilise this opportunity and to begin the process of further transforming Mackenzie High School.”
At the event, special awards were also presented, such as the Jerimiah Nurse Award, Visually Impaired Award, Jonathan Peters Award, Business Achievers Award, Arts Top Achievers and the Science Scholars Award.