EIGHT Trinidad and Tobago students who excelled in last year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) exams have been honoured by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

On Thursday, the council held a regional virtual ceremony at the National Academy of Performing Arts.

The most outstanding CSEC awardees are Anaya Felix in short story writing (Bishops Anstey High School East); Danielle Suite in creative and expressive arts (St Augustine Girls High School); and Joshua Brailey in visual arts, 2D (ASJA Boys Charlieville).

The most outstanding CAPE awardees are Tashana Riley who received the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) award in principles of accounting, (Bishops Anstey High School East); Nikeesha Nancoo who received the ACCA award in business (Lakshmi Girls Hindu College); Zoё Gonzalves in environmental science (St Joseph Convent, Port of Spain); Joel Phillips who received the RM Education Award in mathematics (Hillview College); and Jesse Rampersad in natural sciences (Naparima Girls High School).

Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly briefly addressed the students.

“This has been a very difficult time,” she said.

“You have written exams in one of the history-making times in the world and your performance made us proud on the regional stage. We are happy, at the ministry, to salute you and hold you up as exemplars for all of our students who are willing to work hard.

“This is by no means a small feat, so we congratulate you for such a stellar performance.”

Regional awardees were given a cash prize and a full scholarship in the subject of their choosing at the University of the West Indies. Additionally, awardees from TT were gifted laptops from the ministry.

Other awardees included Zaynab Shaffie of Guyana who received most outstanding CSEC candidate overall, receiving grade one in 18 subjects and grade two in two subjects.

Samuel Haynes of Guyana received the Dr Dennis Irvine award as the most outstanding CAPE candidate overall.

Rampersad said she was completely shocked when she heard she had received the top prize in natural sciences. She credits hard work and friends who helped her study for her achievement.

“I feel very proud to represent my school (Naparima Girls).”

She advised the 2022 CXC cohort to make a goal and work toward it.

“They should work on learning concepts rather than memorising, so they’ll be doing lifelong learning and it will make it easier in the exam.”

Riley said she was baffled when she found out she had won the ACCA award for principals of accounts.

“I put in so many long hours. My teachers were so committed to my success. I was so happy when I saw that merit list.”

She said she would like to pursue law.

Her Bishops East schoolmate, Felix, said she too was surprised by her award in storytelling.

“I have always loved storytelling, even through music and painting, so to receive an award centred around that means a lot to me.”

She said she does not yet have a