For the second consecutive year, a Queen's College (QC) student has snagged the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Valedictorian Award. Raphieal Newbold Jr. scored the highest on the exams to walk away with the title and a $6,000 scholarship from the 28th annual Honours Day Convocation.
For the first time in the award's history, there was a tie for second place.
St. Augustine's College's Dylan Cash and Mangrove Cay High School's Jonathan Saunders were named co-salutatorians. Cash and Saunders both received $3,000 scholarships. Abaco Central High School student Kirklyn McIntosh was named the Family Island Scholar and awarded a $2,000 scholarship.
Raphieal, 17, the school's head boy, expressed surprise at his win, considering everyone in contention for the award and titles were the top male graduating students in their respective schools around the country.
"My first thought was 'Thank God', because I needed the scholarship. But at the same time, all of the young men who were invited were extremely intelligent and knowing that my best was good enough made me very content. That made me feel like I'm definitely doing the right thing and should continue on that path," said Raphieal. "I knew that all of us had an equal opportunity to win. That was always in the back of my head, but I knew that I had to do my best because I knew that the scholarship would assist me greatly with my future," he noted.
The weekend of activities commenced on Friday with a courtesy call to the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald, who spoke to the young men about the importance of being leaders during a time when there are so many negatives about young men in the country. He encouraged them to stay focused and to continue on the path that they are on.
On Saturday the 43 outstanding young men sat the scholarship exam, comprised of general knowledge, mathematics and English. Following the test they engaged in a debate, discussing issues regarding men's health as well as life after high school and what to expect from college and job searches.
On Sunday they worshipped at church, with the convocation ceremony held that afternoon at Government House, where Newbold was declared the fraternity's winner. He also took home a $500 award for winning the Medicine Award. The graduating senior, who has aspirations of becoming a doctor, but who is still undecided about a specialty -- he's still mulling over specializing in pediatrics, surgery or cardiology --said he will let the decision "come to him".
He's also undecided about which university he will continue his post-secondary education at. He has been accepted to both the University of Miami and the University of the West Indies, and is leaning toward the University of Miami, but his final choice will depend on the financial assistance he receives.
He has not had scholarship offers from either institution yet, but has applied for financial consideration. He has also applied to the Ministry of Education for National Merit Awards consideration, as well as the Lyford Cay Foundation for scholarship assistance. Newbold has cast his net wide and is hoping to catch some "serious fish".
His interest in medicine, he said, was piqued by his interest in helping people. "Some people have said that they always wanted to be a doctor because they wanted to help people, and as cheesy as that sounds, I think that I identify with that as well.
My involvement with the Interact Club allowed me to interact with people and help them when they weren't able to help themselves. Being a doctor for me is not about making money, it's about going to places and helping people that may be less fortunate achieve the quality healthcare that they need."
He has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.55 and said there is room for improvement; he's working hard to bring up the number before he graduates.
"I think it's safe to say my efforts aren't going in vain, and I'm proud to say that last report card I actually achieved a 4.00, so I'm getting there slowly but surely," he said. Raphieal sat 10 Bahamas General Certificates of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exams in the 11th grade. His results were four A grades, two B grades and four C grades. The C grades, he said, he's not proud of, but at the same time he does have a sense of accomplishment because of the magnitude and number of the BGCSEs that he took. "I did my best," he said.
He's currently pursuing four AP subjects -- calculus, Spanish, psychology and language and composition -- courses he admits he finds a bit difficult, as they are college-level, but he's grateful to have the exposure to college-level materials for the very near future. The son of Raphieal Sr., and Chivon Newbold said his family has always pushed him to do well over the years. He includes his five-year-old brother Kaed among the people that pushed him. "My younger brother would come to me and say, 'R.J. do you have a lot of homework tonight?' And I'll be like 'Yeah'. He'll be like, 'Okay, make sure you do all of your work'. And I'll say 'Okay, thank you. I will'. My family, even beyond my parents and younger brother, are extremely supportive. I often tell people that they're my support unit and my cheering squad in one."
With an 11-year age difference between him and his brother, Raphieal says he definitely sees himself as a role model for his brother, but he believes to be a role model for Kaed, he must first be a role model for himself. "I definitely want Kaed to grow up as a focused, determined and intelligent young man, so I do my best to ensure that what I'm doing is the correct thing, because I know that he's behind me every step of the way.
He's watching me in a sense, so I definitely have to set the example for him, and not only for him, but myself as well. It doesn't really make sense to be setting an example for others, when you're not able to live the example for yourself. You have to do it because you want to do it.
Once you do the right thing, persons will be inspired, follow your life and follow suit." And it's not just been academics that has kept Raphieal busy. He also found time to get involved in a number of clubs on campus and has been active in the Interact Club, and Debate Club. But his academics, he said, have always come first. That's why he gave up competitive tennis a few years ago - to focus on academics. "I try to be very focused, because I know that to be a doctor I have a long way to go.
There's no room for slipping up to be honest. I have to be consistent and tenacious as well -- not in a bad sense, but in the sense that I have to keep going after what I want in order to achieve what I want." Following in the footsteps of Shannon Butler (valedictorian) and Ahmad Pratt (salutatorian) who swept the 2013 Alpha Awards) and on the heels of classmate Blair Evans, who recently snagged the attention of the Eta Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. after capturing the Most Outstanding Honoree Award at the sorority's 36th annual Honours Day, Raphieal said he was honored to continue the QC tradition and to write history not only for QC, but the country as well. "I went into the weekend knowing that we had both Shannon, who was the valedictorian, and Ahmad, who came in second place, and I knew that they had set the pace and I had big shoes to fill, but I was determined to do it," he said.
As he prepares for the next phase of his life Raphieal says he expects to remain determined and focused despite the many pressures. "I aim to keep my head on my body and to do well. I aim to come back to contribute to my community and my country," he said.
Shaun Turnquest, vice-principal and head of high school at QC, expressed pride in Raphieal's accomplishment in bringing the award to the QC community for the second consecutive year. "He [Raphieal] is an amazing young man with a bright future. He is sensible and smart -- it's a winning combination. We are proud of him. We have held him up as this year's role model for all male students, and he has not disappointed.
He has come through on every task assigned to him and he has also been a great cheerleader and encourager to others. We know that his future is bright. He will leave us and go on to become a good citizen of this country one day. He deserves every good thing that has been awarded to him," said Turnquest. Of the QC students turning in stellar results she said the school has a dynamic team approach that works and a team of professionals who are passionate about the jobs they do. The team, she believes, do not look at their work as remaining strictly within school hours. She said the teachers and administrators are on the school's campus on weekends, as well, and even offered free classes to students over the Easter break.
"There's a saying, 'Students don't care how much you know unless they know how much you care', and we really do try to demonstrate and let them see that we do care about them. And they know we do," she said. In the history of the Alpha Phi Alpha Awards, students from St. Augustine's College and St. Andrew's School have won the Valedictorian Award five times; students from St. Anne's School and Queen's College have won three times; students from Bahamas Academy and Temple Christian have won twice.
RM Bailey, Government High, St. John's College, L.N. Coakley, Kingsway Academy, C.C Sweeting, NGM Major and St. Paul's Methodist have seen one-time wins. Salutatorian awards have been won by St. Augustine's College and St. Andrew's School students four times; Bahamas Academy students, Temple Christian and Queen's College students twice and once each by students from St. Anne's School, Temple Christian, LW Young, Jordan Prince William, RM Bailey, St. John's College and Catholic High.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.'s 28th Honours Day Convocation Awards
Valedictorian -- Raphieal Newbold Jr., Queen's College -- $6,000 scholarship
Co-Salutatorians (first tie in the history of the awards) -- Dylan Cash, St. Augustine's College, and Jonathan Saunders, Mangrove Cay High School -- $3,000 each Family Island Scholar -- Kirklyn McIntosh, Abaco Central High School -- $2,000 Special awards Mathematics -- Conrad Caring Cornish, Abaco Central High School -- $500 Commerce -- Carlis Robinson, St. George's High School -- $1,000 Science -- Kirklyn McIntosh, Abaco Central High And Gaege Smith, Mt. Carmel Preparatory Academy -- $500 each Legal Debator Award -- Dylan Cash, St. Augustine's College -- $500 Medicine Award -- Raphiel Newbold Jr., Queen's College -- $500
Valedictorians
2014 -- Raphieal Newbold Jr., Queen's College 2012 -- Earl Roberts, Bahamas Academy 2011 -- Walcott Bain, St. Paul's Methodist College 2010 -- Salathiel Wells, NGM Major High 2009 -- Jasmine Tucker, CC Sweeting 2008 -- Jonathan Fielding, St. Andrew's School 2007 -- Thurl Edwards, St. Anne's School 2006 -- Kristofor Glinton, St. Augustine's College 2005 -- Kellen Knowles, Kingsway Academy 2004 -- Akeiro Lloyd, L.N. Coakley High 2003 -- Keith Beneby, St. Anne's School 2002 -- Rishard Cooper, St. Augustine's College 2001 -- Le'Ron Wood, Temple Christian Schools 2000 -- Mikhail Higgins, Queen's College 1999 -- Kevin Basden II, St. John's College 1998 -- Vantario Taylor, Government High 1997 -- Adrian Cargill Jr., St. Augustine's College 1996 -- Eugene Andrew Edwards, St. Augustine's College 1995 -- Jevon Butler, St. Andrew's School 1994 -- Leander L. Moncur, Bahamas Academy 1993 -- Julian Blair, RM Bailey 1992 -- Julian Major, St. Augustine's College 1991 -- Arien Rolle, St. Anne's School 1990 -- Anthony Derek Albury, St. Andrew's School 1988 -- Valentine S. Grimes II, St. Andrew's School 1987 -- John Pinder, St. Andrew's School
Salutatorians
2014 -- Dylan Cash, St. Augustine's College's and Jonathan Saunders, Mangrove Cay High School (co-salutatorians) 2013 -- Ahmad Pratt, Queen's College 2012 -- Jeremy Moxey, St. Andrew's School 2011 -- Aravind Govindafaju, Queen's College 2010 -- Kenton Meronard, St. Andrew's School 2009 -- Benjamin Pinder, St. Andrew's School 2008 -- Genymphas Higgs, Catholic High 2007 -- Keith Major Jr., Temple Christian School 2006 -- Jacob Fountain, St. Andrew's School 2005 -- Khalid Hassan, St. John's College 2004 -- Brehon Davis, Bahamas Academy 2003 -- Alvin Knowles Jr., R.M. Bailey 2002 -- Dominique Higgins, Jordan Prince Williams 2001 -- Adrian Harpervassell, St. Augustine's College 2000 -- Michello Williams, LW Young 1999 -- Aaron Adderley, Temple Christian 1997 -- Darin Francis, St. Augustine's College 1996 -- Gladstone Adderley II, Bahamas Academy 1995 -- Reginald Hanna Jr., St. Augustine's College 1994 -- Gowon Bown, St. Anne's High 1993 -- Guynor Gomes, St. Augustine's College
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