PEP success feels like Christmas for Old Harbour Bay Primary ‘star girl’ Djenique Palmer

The season is marked with a special Star. However, for 11-year-old Djenique Palmer and her family and friends of Old Harbour in St Catherine, it was celebrated in July this year and she was that special Star. The celebrations became necessary five months earlier, when Djenique was successful in her Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations. Her immediate and extended family was overcome with joy, laughter and a great deal of satisfaction, and the youngster is today smiling from ear to ear. She shone so brightly in the exams, it was hard not to take note or to notice, leaving an entire family awestruck and proud, especially her mom and dad who for days soaked up the enjoyment and basked extensively in the radiance of their child.

Palmer, who scored well in all areas of the examination, amassed a whopping 382 points (95.5% average) on her scorecard, which put her atop her class at Old Harbour Bay Primary and a place at Ardenne High School in Kingston.

Her mom, Melony Thomas told Old Harbour News that when Djenique heard the news she went into wild celebrations.

“She jumped and screamed with joy and celebrated, she almost lost her voice. She said mommy and daddy this is a dream come true, oh my God, I passed for Ardenne,” Thomas recounted. “ As a family we jumped with her and pulled her along in the celebration, given the victory and sweet feeling of success we felt, it was like crossing the finishing line and getting the gold medal,” she added.

Little Djenique stated: “My future dream is to become a doctor, and getting a chance to attend Ardenne High School will help me realize this dream and I am so happy. It means now that I will step up to the challenge and do my best in my new school and to continue making my mom and dad proud of my achievements.”

The Old Harbour Bay Primary graduate is the only child for mom and dad and has been outstanding in all areas since she attended Prophecy Basic School in Old Harbour Bay. Djenique, who prefers to read a book over watching movies, is an avid reader who is always intent on learning and searching for more knowledge on Google, in newspapers and just about anywhere or through any medium to learn. Her mom says: “She amazes me sometimes and with the things that she would research and the questions she asks.”

“At one point she even ventured to write a book while she was in grade two and in so doing I told her that she has the family support in taking on that task, in other words as parents we were prepared to make her first dream project come through.”

Suffice to say the book did not get off the ground, but the idea to write is still alive and well in the mind of this little ambitious girl.

Said Djenique’s mom: “The day when I knew she was going to be a brilliant child, was one morning when I was reading a story from a book about the ‘The Little Red Hen’, and as a tiny two-year-old she wanted me to read the story over and over again”.

“I remember I said to her, 'you should read my baby’, and she was able to read the story without making a mistake, and even when she interjects and ask questions about the story, sometimes I proved the answer and another time I put the question back at her and ask her about her thoughts, and her answers always amazes me.”

As for the new Institution that Djenique will attend in September, she has been to the school twice with her mom and already loves what she is seeing. The future star from Old Harbour Bay, who is already relishing the challenge of attending one of Jamaica’s top institutions says “I know it's going to be challenging as I move from primary school to high, but I am prepared to do my best.”

According to Thomas, grade six teacher Patrecia Heath-Hayles was also over the moon and excited for Djenique when she got the news, stating that she knew her top student would have achieved a very excellent mark and would get the school of her choice. Heath-Hayles was right and perhaps would not have lost the bet if anyone dared going against her call.

From first grade Djenique has been brilliant and after finishing top in all classes from through every grade, it was no wonder her brilliance shone like a morning star.

Most teachers called her a ‘bright girl’, her peers said she’s special, her parents believe she’s a blessing who makes them proud every day.

Djenique, who is described as a bookworm, has some favourite books already in her growing library like Diary of Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries. She loves the 2011 American movie Teen Wolf.
Going off to Ardenne High in September, her mom explained that it will be challenging indeed and she has already outlined to her daughter, that she will meet a lot of other students just as brilliant , but must be prepared to put in the work, make the necessary sacrifice and let God do the rest.

Born under the star of Leo, Djenique wants to be a doctor when she becomes an adult rules. Those who knows her well said she is a go-getter and disciplined to form, yet with an ease of spirit, her personality makes her par for the course. The prospective Ardenne student challenges herself a lot and is focused, taking on things which are unfamiliar without being afraid, attacking any difficult academic task without seeking help most times, and up to the time of writing this feature she was learning French.

Her mom says in recent times, she has been using Google translator. Both parents are now familiar with French words, like Bonjour and bonne nuit and the family has now embraced the phrase ‘comment est ta journée maman’ which means in English: How is your day Mom?

In the final analysis on this highly proficient academic student, Djenique is now on course to bring home further glory not only to herself, her family, her friends and the community of Old Harbour but to Jamaica.