SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Giselle Mortimer has emerged as the top student at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations for the Kingston Secondary School in Georgetown with two grade ones, four grade twos and one grade three.

Attaining this position was no easy feat. As a matter of fact, Mortimer sacrificed a lot of her hobbies and, instead, buried herself in her studies. But what exactly did she sacrifice? Travelling the country, music, time with her friends and importantly, sleep.

Speaking with the Sunday Chronicle, Mortimer recounted her journey to the 2021 examinations, stating that she did not set out to be the top student; she only wanted to do her best. According to her, one of the major hurdles she had to face while preparing for the examinations was the transition from physical learning to online learning.

Mortimer, like many other children, learns better during face-to-face teaching; she believes such helps her to fully grasp concepts and bounce ideas off of persons in the classroom.
What made online teaching even more difficult for her was the fact that she had to struggle with unstable electricity and internet – a common cry among many of Guyana’s top students.

“Preparing for the exam was quite difficult given the pandemic and having to do online classes for both school and lessons. But I was focused on my goal and I couldn’t let that derail me, but then other issues came.

Sometimes the Wi-Fi would be unstable and other times you’d be in class and there was a blackout and I had to try to find a way to deal with that, try to get the notes and make up for the time I lost. It was a bit frustrating at times,” Mortimer contended.

A LONG COMMUTE
Students across the country, including Mortimer, were excited to return to school when the Ministry of Education announced plans to reopen schools for physical learning for Grades 10 and 11.

Recognising that online teaching was not in her best interest, Mortimer was determined to make it to school and lessons every day for face-to-face learning even though it entailed travelling from Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara to Georgetown; the trip by public transportation took 90 minutes.

Mortimer said that while that sacrifice was a major one, she didn’t give it much thought because she knew the impact it would have on her achieving her goals.

“I live up the highway so getting transportation was very hard and there were times where I would meet to school and lessons late, but that never deterred me; I had a goal and I knew what I wanted to achieve so I got up every morning and I made the trip,” the young aspiring entrepreneur told the Sunday Chronicle.

SUPPORT
Even though she battled these challenges, the teenager said she received a lot of support from her family, especially her mother, whom she described as a pillar of strength. Mortimer said she would not have been able to achieve her success without the daily support from her mother.

Mortimer is the younger of her mother’s two children, and, according to her, witnessing the determination of her mother to provide for them, will always be an inspiration because it has influenced her life.

“My mom was very supportive; she always found the money to send me to school every day, to make sure I had everything I needed, to make sure I got to print my SBA’s, the questionnaires I needed for it and everything, and she’s been doing it all my life, she’s always been my inspiration.”

NEXT STEP
The goal, according to the teenager, is to establish her own business. Mortimer has always been fascinated with managing a business, not just for herself, but to also provide an avenue for other persons to be employed and earn.

In alignment with her goals, she plans to study for the next ten years accumulating several degrees in the process.

When asked what piece of advice she would give to students preparing to write the 2022 CSEC examinations, Mortimer stated: “Just be confident in yourself and focus on your studies, make the necessary sacrifices and prioritise what is important and necessary for you to achieve whatever individual goal you’ve set.”