Success is not gained by cramming for an examination -- it is a long process that takes time, dedication and most importantly interest, according to Queen's College senior Rebecca Henderson who walked away with the most prestigious awards that a high school student can earn. She had the best overall performance in the nation in the 2014 Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) examinations with 10 "A" grades and one "B" grade. She also had the best result of all students in the Independent Schools and the best results of all students on New Providence.
Rebecca, who sat the 11 subjects as an 11th grade student was graded at A in chemistry, physics, biology, music, geography, religious studies, English language, English literature, math and Spanish. Her lone B grade was recorded in combined science.
"All my hard work throughout the years -- not just this year -- everything paid off, and it shows that you can reap the benefits of hard work and accomplish something," said Rebecca, who was honored last week at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology's Annual National Awards Ceremony.
"You don't have to think something's not for you, and that you can't achieve it, and that it's for the other people in the grade or in the country, or that there are always other people better than you. It shows that something can actually be done," said the youngest child of Mark and Nicola Henderson.
The 4.42 grade point average (GPA) Principal's List student said her results did not come easy and that they were results she worked for, not just in preparation for the exams, but throughout the year.
"I always make sure I work," she said. "I don't slack off during the year and when exam times come I suddenly just work, work, work. No, all through the year I work. Throughout the year I go over things and when exams came I didn't stress myself overly or have a complete breakdown," she said.
Rebecca, who has attended QC for 13 years, since her early days in ELC said her study habits involve lots of note taking. Rebecca has a folder with notes jotted down from everything she does. In the final analysis she said she doesn't even really have to look into her books, but rather to the copious notes she has made.
Snagging the top honors for this QC student comes on the heels of the success of other former QC students. In 2012, Shannon Butler earned the same distinctions as Rebecca. Shannon went on to be named the Bahamas All Merit Scholar, a scholarship that is awarded to the single most outstanding applicant coming out of high school annually. He is presently a medical student at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
In 2010, Miguel Cartwright was also named the most outstanding student in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. He is in his final year at McGill University, Montreal Canada.
For Rebecca, obtaining a good education is everything. It means a "future".
"I want to be a doctor. I want my life to mean something. I want to do something which not only I like, but which also helps other people. I don't just want to be another human on this planet doing something that doesn't really matter. I want to have a purpose."
To that end, Rebecca is making application to the United World College (UWC), which makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.
UWC schools, colleges and programs deliver a challenging and transformational educational experience to a diverse cross section of students, inspiring them to create a more peaceful and sustainable future. And UWC believes that to achieve peace and a sustainable future, the values it promotes are crucial -- international and intercultural understanding; celebration of difference; personal responsibility and integrity; compassion and service; respect for the environment; a sense of idealism; personal challenge and action and personal example.
If accepted into the program, she will not be the first person our of the Henderson household to be accepted. Two of her four siblings have also gone the UWC route post secondary school. One was posted to Italy, and another to Swaziland.
While applicants have no say as to where UWC sends them, if Rebecca had a choice, she would choose to be sent to Italy. "It's the center of everything, and I would love to be able to travel. And it would be so easy to travel from Italy," she said.
Rebecca who describes herself as a "Comet to the bone," having spent 13 years at the institution, which she started during her ELC years, has a family with history on the Q.C. campus. Her father attended Q.C. Her mother teaches at the school. And all of her siblings also matriculated at the school.
The top student isn't all about the books though, Rebecca also plays clarinet and tenor saxophone, and is in the QC Band as well as The Bahamas National Youth Orchestra. She is pursuing her Governor General Youth Award (GGYA) Gold Award, is in the Debate Club and plays soccer. Her advice to her peers is to just do their best.
"You can't do better than your best, so just do your best, try your hardest and don't give up at all," she said.
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