Glenmuir-bound Dontea James motivated by sister’s success

Raucous celebrations broke out inside the home of the Jameses recently when the Davis Primary student learnt he had matriculated to Glenmuir High School in May Pen, Clarendon following the recent publication of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) results.

There was no containing their unbridled joy in The Aviery Housing Scheme, as Dontea not only scored highly, but got the school of his choice.

“I felt very happy,” Dontea, who logged a placement score of 317.4, told Old Harbour News. “I had that feeling in my gut that I would either go to Ardenne or Glenmuir but I really hoped that I would go to Glenmuir.”

It was a long anxious wait that day for the close-knit Christian family, his mother Natalie Graham-James remembered during our lively chat.

“I was so happy, I was literally brought to tears… because from three o’clock we were there checking the portal to see if we would get on,” she recalled as the website was experiencing glitches.

Preparing her son for this day was long in the making, Graham-James, who worked in the library service, informed Old Harbour News.

From his pre-school days the family made certain that all the children had all the necessary educational tools, as home was transformed into a school away from school.

“I would make charts instead of buying ready-made charts so everything was around the house before he even started school,” she said, noting that a lot of investment went in extra lessons with her husband complementing the process by providing “moral and financial support”.

While the foundations were being laid, Dontea had a personal goal of his own. “He wants to outdo his sister in everything and she really did well. That’s his motivation,” Graham-James disclosed to Old Harbour News.

Dontea’s sister, Ashley Archer is a past student of St Catherine High and former head girl at Davis Primary, and is currently pursuing a degree in Communication Studies at Northern Caribbean University (NCU).

Graham-James described her son as very quiet, helpful and attentive. But according to Dontea’s teacher, Nicholas Dillon, getting him focus comes with its own unique challenges.

“Dontea put in the effort in practice. But you know how the boys can be… we have to get on their case because they like to have their fun time. It’s a class effort, (though) I have to be drilling him,” Dillon said in an interview with Old Harbour News.

Dillon added: “Though they are children I have to keep reminding them that much is expected from them.”

In the future Dontea hopes to become a realtor, operating his own business, even though mom believes he will end up doing something in the information technology field. He seems to draw this aspiration from playing the online video game roblox, which he believes is lately becoming a bit boring and monotonous. 

“The things that they publishing now are not that exciting, so I would really want a good game now,” said Dontea, who enjoys playing football and basketball during his spare time.  

And the grade prefect stated he’s not interested in a typical nine-to-five job.

“I want to know that I can come home any time that I want. I don’t want to always sit down in an office,” he said. 

He said he will always cherish the memories created with his friends and teachers at Davis, but is looking forward to a new beginning at high school.

When we contacted Dontea’s mother for this interview they were already at his grandparents’ home in St Ann. The family is planning a special treat, she said, but for now they’re keeping it a secret from their ‘star boy’.