Being the first in his family to attend Queen’s College was a big accomplishment for 12- year old Yeshua Hutson who always dreamt of attending this premier secondary school. This ambitious young man recently took some time to share the key to his success at the 2021 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
For the aspiring Robotic Engineer and Cricketer, though the virtual platform posed some challenges, he described his learning experience as exciting and adventurous. In preparing for this year’s NGSA exams, Yeshua admitted to having some distractions and that, at times, he was so tired that he fell asleep while studying. He also stated that some concepts could not be properly explained virtually, and the technical difficulties experienced, either due to the internet or electricity, made matters worse.
When asked if he preferred the virtual class over physical class, Yeshua shared that “when you are home, you are tempted to use the internet during classes, whereas with face to face classes, you are forced to retain information.” In addition, he expressed that there were faults in the online practice examinations where sometimes the correct answers would be marked wrong in error. As such, he preferred physical classes.
However, one of the highlights of his virtual learning experience was that his teachers still found creative ways to make learning fun. He fondly recalled that one of his teachers in an earlier grade used songs as a method for teaching. He was able to use this technique to remember some concepts learnt in class and this proved valuable for his examinations.
Sacrifices Made
Yeshua attributed his success to the sacrifices he made. The biggest one was giving up food during the week before his examination, when he fasted and prayed for God to help him. It was hard to see his friends eating during their break but Yeshua endured because he knew that he would reap the rewards in the end. In addition to giving up food, as his examinations approached, he also had to sacrifice his phone, watching movies and talking with his friends.
Support System
Aside from God, who Yeshua declared was his biggest motivator, he stated that his parents supported and encouraged him during this time. Due to his work responsibilities, his father could not be there as often as he would have wanted. Nevertheless, his father supported him financially and periodically checked in with him to see how he was coping and reminded him that he needed to get himself in line. He would even give him study tips which aided in his preparation for exams. Yeshua stated that his mother also played an integral role during this time, as she spent many late nights with him as he studied. Yeshua recounted that he enjoyed studying with his mom because she made it fun.
Thoughts and Emotions
Being a consistent A student, there was never a doubt in his mind that he would excel. “Before exams, I felt confident but as the exams neared I felt a little nervous,” Yeshua stated. Being in the examination room felt normal because his teacher Sir Success would often give his students mock exams to complete which were more difficult than the NGSA examinations. As such, he was confident that he did well but confessed that the Science paper had his heart “palpitating”.
Unlike many students who feel anxious as they await their results, it was quite the opposite for Yeshua. Instead, he was confident in his abilities and enjoyed the little break that he had after exams.
On the night his exam results were released, in excitement, two of his friends who were amongst the top ten in the country, called him to inquire if he had gotten a call from anyone telling him about his results but he did not. This caused him to feel a little disappointed.
At midnight, his beaming parents woke him from his sleep holding a Queen’s College shirt with a badge in their hands. At that moment his spirits were lifted. Yeshua attained 517 marks placing him at number 33 in the country, which meant that he would be attending the school of his dreams. “Even though I did not get into the top 10, I am still grateful because I am the first in the family to go to Queen’s College and so I am proud of myself.”
Advice to Other NGSA Students
“The key to success is focussing, working hard and knowing who God is. It is not hard,” said Yeshua. His advice to NGSA students is to “not allow your schoolwork to pile up. Instead, as soon as you get an assignment just do it because you never know if you will get a pop quiz on the same assignment you may be putting off, the next day.” Lastly, he reminds them that they should not procrastinate because “procrastination is the thief of time” and as such, they should use their time wisely.
Future Plans
Yeshua shared that, after his examination, his father encouraged him to create a timeline of his future goals. When asked about his plans, he stated that he wants to be a Robotic Engineer and a cricketer. Yeshua hopes to achieve this by attending Oxford University in England. He recognises that because Oxford University is an Ivy League school, he would not only have to get good grades; but would also need to be an all-around student to get a scholarship which would aid him in accomplishing his dream of becoming a Robotic Engineer.
His choice to pursue his intended career paths was inspired by his love for cricket as a child, his love for robots and his fascination with science. According to him, “I do not only want to do a job because of the money but because I believe that a job should be something that you enjoy so that it can bring out the best in you.”
We thank God for bringing Yeshua through his examination successfully and we know that with God by his side and as he remains dedicated to his work, he can achieve the extraordinary.
