Whitley-Rae Davis is the JN Foundation Scholar for St Catherine Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Twelve-year-old Whitley-Rae Davis was not surprised when she found out that she had earned a spot at Campion College in St Andrew, following the release of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) results in July.

Campion College, one of the country’s most prestigious and sought-after secondary schools, was Whitley-Rae’s first choice, and she was determined to score the grades necessary to earn a place among Jamaica’s brightest young minds.

“I wasn’t surprised, because I knew that I had put in the work and I knew what I was capable of achieving,” said the St Catherine Preparatory graduate.

She admitted that she spent many long days and nights preparing for her exams and believe it was all worth it in the end.

Not only was Whitley-Rae successful in earning a spot at her school of choice, but her grades also earned her a five-year scholarship from The Jamaica National Group.

Her overall PEP score of 391.1, with a 352 in Science; 357 in Mathematics; 346 in Language Arts; and a 357 in Social Studies earned her the JN Foundation PEP scholarship for the parish of St Catherine.

Whitley-Rae is among 47 students, who, this year, were awarded JN PEP scholarships and bursaries. Since 1983, The Jamaica National Group has been supporting educational pursuits at the secondary and tertiary levels. The scholarship awards are one of its largest benevolent efforts.

The St Catherine native hopes to continue to blaze a trail of excellence, as she takes on the challenges of secondary education. She’s intent on remaining at the top of her class and hopes to continue to excel in her studies.

Her mother, Latoya Whitley, is not surprised by her daughter’s success. “I am very elated that she has done so well, which comes as no real surprise, as I know that she has the potential,” said Whitley, as she beamed with pride and joy.

She further spoke about the level of commitment shown by her daughter, whom she described as diligent, well-organised, focused, and hard-working. “She has always done well, and given the level of support that she got from us and also from her teachers, we anticipated that she would do well.”

Whitley-Rae’s future ambition is to become a paediatrician and she has her sights set on a top university.

“I’ve always admired the work that doctors do and from my experience of going to the paediatrician they were always kind to me, and I want to help other children in that way and to help them get better,” she said.

Her advice to students who will be sitting PEP next year is to: “Never give up no matter how hard it gets. Just keep a sense of determination to get through the challenges and long nights, because it will all be worth it in the end.”

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