“It’s not in our own strength that we can make it this far because we need God’s help at some point” – Aretha Fraser, FAOGW CSEC Top Achiever
First Assembly of God Wortmanville (FAOGW) held their 16th Annual Celebration Day on December 11, 2021. Top National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) achievers are identified each year from church members and outstations. Aretha Anastacia Fraser, 16 years old, is this year’s CSEC top achiever. She attended Queen’s College and aspires to be a surgeon or pediatrician.
Aretha wrote fifteen subjects in which she obtained 10 ones, inclusive of eight distinctions and 5 twos. When asked why she took 15 subjects, Aretha explained that she wanted to be well-rounded and gain as much knowledge in as many subject areas as possible. She also pushed herself to write two foreign languages instead of the required one because her desired field will expose her to international communities and it will be easier for her to communicate. She chose to study Physical Education, because it required more physical engagements rather than studying per se; this, along with Agricultural Science, provided her with balance and helped her to relax.
Aretha was not excited about the impending examination dates; rather, she was overwhelmed. She felt a surge of nervousness and anxiety. There were times when she felt extremely stressed and wanted to give up, but knowing that the dates were quickly approaching and that she needed to get through the first sets of exams, she went into a mode of staying focused and staying on track.
Aretha did not study unless she had to. However, when she did not understand a topic, she applied greater effort. When something was not clear, she went home to read text books and watch YouTube videos to better understand rather than attending classes and not fully understanding what was taught. While writing 15 subjects was difficult for Aretha, she had a method of preparing for her exams. She explained that they were unsure when the examination would be held, and that due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many topics on the syllabus were not covered. However, once the topics for the examination were released by CSEC, things became much easier. One thing she did was make a study schedule, focusing on the subjects that needed more attention. She studied four subjects per day, focusing one hour on each subject and taking 30-minute breaks in between. Aretha also had a study partner with whom she would go through past papers and answer questions. When they were unsure, they would consult with a teacher. They also watched YouTube videos for clarification on uncertain topics and covered questions published by CSEC.
Aretha Fraser expressed that her mom was her greatest supporter in this time, as she reflected on a saying her mom would always tell her as a child growing up, “work hard now and play for the rest of your life or play now and work hard for the rest of your life.” While she had her doubts, her mother shared a scripture with her that she remembers whenever she has a doubt: “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Aretha had friends who were instrumental in keeping her on track during her journey, especially when she felt overwhelmed and at her lowest, extended family members who called and prayed with her provided much support at this time in her life, not to mention the church being actively involved in her journey. Pastor Wilbert Lee called every morning of an exam to pray with her. She shared that prayer was very important, especially with all of the stumbling blocks. “Just before the exam, pray and ask God to bring back to memory everything you would have studied because it’s not in our own strength that we can make it this far. We need God’s help at some point,” Aretha said.
Aretha made a plan at the start of the year outlining everything she hoped to accomplish this year. She tried to stay focused on her goals throughout the time because she believes that writing down and planning what you want to achieve makes it easier because you already have the goal in mind and now you just have to stay on track. Aretha also found a way to maintain a sense of balance while studying in order to avoid becoming overly preoccupied with her studies. It was critical for her to relax so that she did not overburden herself. When she was stressed or tired, she found things she liked to do to pass the time. All of this helped her stay focused on her studies and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
While her doubts consumed her, Aretha excelled in her CSEC exams. There were some exams she had no idea how she did, but it was not until she saw her results that she realised how well she had done. Her main concerns were Information Technology, Additional Mathematics, and the two foreign languages, for which she received a one and three twos. Aretha was overjoyed and proud of herself after receiving congratulations from family and friends. She did not attend as many extra lessons as others were fortunate to, but she did well.
While Aretha was disappointed that she was unable to attend the Celebration Day, she was overjoyed to be named top CSEC achiever for the First Assembly of God Wortmanville Celebration Day. She knew she wanted to be that child on stage collecting all the big gifts as she had seen from previous years, but to finally be that child receiving all the big gifts, even though she was not physically present, had her feeling excited and very much elated.
Aretha is currently completing her final year of High School in the United States of America. Next year, she will take her SAT examinations and apply to colleges to study pre-med, after which she will take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). While she is unsure of which college she wishes to attend, Aretha is certain that it is one of the top colleges in the country. She will then continue her education in medicine. We cannot wait to see the next chapter of Aretha’s life.
