Monila’s Westwood High dream comes true

She was distraught as ever since she was in grade two her desire is to attend only one particular high school – Westwood – an all-girl boarding institution based in Stewart Town, Trelawny.

But fate would have it nonetheless for the Davis Primary head girl, who earned a placement score of 331.1, when the PEP results came out recently, to her dream school on the island’s north coast.

“I felt I was over the moon. I’m so proud of her. I’m elated and still elated up till now. She has improved a lot and I’m so proud of her,” said Monila’s mom, Tanya Richards.

Richards, a primary school educator herself, added: “From grade two she always wanted to go to Westwood. I put Glenmuir as her first choice and when she saw that I put Glenmuir, she cried for days. She said she want to go to Westwood.”

Her decision to select two other schools above Westwood was based purely on proximity, she explained. After witnessing the pure emotions emanating from her one and only child, the family may very well migrate to somewhere nearby Monila’s new school, she admitted. 

“She will have to board for the time being. If I have to relocate then I will relocate to be where she is. But I think for this year I’m going to let her board, because she doesn’t want to go to any other school,” the Longsville Park resident said.

Like so many others, Monila was inspired by the distinct and unique uniform of Westwood girls, famous for wearing their jippi-jappa straw hat.
“I want to be an independent lady and when I look at Westwood High girls I see an independent woman,” the 12-year-old honour roll student told Old Harbour News. “I felt really good. I’m glad that I’m going to Westwood.”

Getting Monila into Davis was rather a coincidence, her mother said, even though if it was left up to her father she would have spent her primary education at a private prep school.

“She started grade one at Davis when I was in college. After I finished college I realized that she was doing exceptionally well here, so there was no need to move her,” Richards recounted, while crediting Monila’s father for playing an integral role in both her education and general well-being. 

Monila’s grade six teacher, Nicholas Dillon said: “Monila put in the effort, she works really hard. She studies, she works on her own, she tries to occupy her time.”

“I’m really glad that I went to Davis… the teachers there really help to push me forward,” Monila added.

A quiet child, even when she’s around her peers, Monila spends a lot of spare time drawing and painting. She hopes to become an architect one day and is already aware of the mountain of expectations the moment she steps through Westwood’s gates.

“I know I will excel at any school,” said confidently.

As for her mother, “whatever she wants to do I’m in total support of her”.

She said: “Whatever she chooses I will always encourage her to just be the best at what she wants to be. It doesn’t make sense forcing something onto her and she doesn’t put her all into it because that’s not what she really wants.”