From Majesty Gardens to Magnificence | Jermaine Miller makes admission after helping St Jago lift national quiz title

The 17-year-old student from St Jago High School is one-quarter of the school’s quiz team that won the prestigious 2022 TVJ School Challenge Quiz competition plus bragging rights as the brainiest of the bunch when it comes to high school scholastic all-round achievement. Miller and his team dug deep after being kicked out of the competition in the early rounds in 2021 and hunkered down, logging hundreds of hours of studying to emerge victorious against corporate area giants Calabar High. Not bad for a little boy from ‘Back-to’.

Indeed Jermaine’s journey to greatness was a slow and steady one but one that destiny could not deny. Coming from what many would call an inner-city neighbourhood or in more politically correct terms, a challenged community, he was faced with many obstacles which he had to overcome, as oftentimes resources were scarce and positive role models next to nonexistent. Nevertheless, the young man from Majesty Gardens – otherwise known as ‘Backto’ – in southwest St Andrew, was not about to let peer pressure, poverty or even a pandemic get in the way of his future.

Miller who has been a part of the quiz team for two years, has a rigorous training schedule that would probably make a lesser individual buckle under the strain as he trains from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm daily when there is no school and on school days it goes from 3:00 pm to 1:00 am. Yes, you read that correctly: one o’clock in the morning! When asked why he wanted to become a quiz kid, he instantly responded: “I entered the quiz team to make a change. Plus I love to take part in educational things.” On the quiz team, he brings knowledge of several subject areas to the table including Jamaican Heritage, General Knowledge, English Literature, Art, Information Technology and History.

At just 17, ‘Mighty Miller’ has aspirations of a career in the army as he wants to become a colonel. “From I was younger it has always been my dream,” he told Old Harbour News in an interview. Trying to strike a balance between school, quiz and just being a regular teenager is not easy for most youth but Miller shared that he does not have to worry about friends who may call on him to come “hang out” as he knows what is important and does not want to be distracted. “It wasn’t hard for me because I don’t have friends like that,” he said. “My friends understand what I need to do.”

The fifth former currently does subjects that cover a wide range of areas, namely Mathematics, English, English Literature, Office Administration, Information Technology, Geography and Principles of Business. Information Technology (IT) he says is his favourite subject and also plays a part in his downtime. When he is not studying he finds time playing various video games. “I love the computer aspect of it and I feel it gives me an edge,” he reasoned.

Miller and his team had what many believed was an edge going into the finals as they were prepared; able to keep their composure under the glare of the lights and also keep their heads above when under pressure. “I was confident going into the finals as I knew I had put in the work. I also remember the advice I got from my coach which was to do what I normally did in training and just stay focused,” Miller said. Staying motivated, he added, is not difficult when you know what you want out of life and just need the tools and the time required to get it. He said: “When I have a goal in my head that I intend to achieve, I just keep working at it, no matter what. My teammates also keep me motivated to put in the work.”

With the 2022 championship under their belt, the youngster and his team-mates won for themselves a ‘tonne’ of great prizes including hotel stay, gift baskets and cash. When quizzed about his role model who has taken him through the tough times, he simply responded “Myself”. “I am my own role model. Growing up in Majesty Gardens, you haffi have a strong mindset and just ignore all the negatives you see around you,” he contends.

His achievement is also a source of pride for his mother Debbie-Ann Wilson. Wilson knew from early that her son was special from his days at Dupont Primary. She saw his gift and tried to nurture it to fruition. Being the eldest of three, she recognised that he was not about the ‘street life’ and always encouraged him to stick to his books. “Jermaine always set his mind to what he wants to do. When he is away studying for long periods it is not easy as he stays until the quiz season is over. Sometimes I miss him a lot but I get to call him and we talk on the phone and he reassures me that he is OK and I take comfort in that,” she told Old Harbour News.

Wilson, who is usually self-employed, shared that the global pandemic has greatly affected the family financially as previously she used to buy and sell but none of that was feasible during Covid. “It made a lot of things slow up and there was no money in the kitty,” she said. The single mother of two sons and a daughter shared that on the night of the finals when others around her had the jitters, once she watched her son walk out confidently, she knew they had the title in the bag. “I wasn’t really nervous as from I saw them walk out I knew that they had it. I’m so proud. It means a lot to the family,” she beamed. 

For quiz coach Mark Clarke, Jermaine’s contribution to the team is unquestioned as he praises the youngster for his diligence, dedication and relentless drive to always give one hundred percent no matter the task, occasion or opportunity. “It is interesting to note that Jermaine did not attend St. Jago from first form. He came to us from Norman Manley High. I had heard about him from another coach and heard also that Hydel was looking to start their own quiz team and would possibly have scouted young Miller,” Clarke revealed. “I have an eye for talent and when I met him, I realised that he is a very bright child and I felt that he would fit in well with the St. Jago set up, so I spoke to both him and his mother and asked if he was interested in coming to St. Jago and they said yes so we did the necessaries to make it happen.”

Miller he said came to St. Jago in the fourth form and right away fitted in like a glove. “His work ethic is amazing. He does the work of two people. His thirst for knowledge is great and he also has an understanding of the sciences which is uncanny for a student who is not a science major,” said the champion quiz coach. “After we got knocked out in the early rounds last year, we went back to the drawing board and did a lot more work so now Jermaine has become even more rounded and his knowledge is deeper. And believe me he hasn’t peaked as yet.” Of Miller coach Clarke added: “He is not a talker, he’s a doer. Just give him something to do and you don’t have to worry, it will get done. He will go far and next year you will see a far better, more confident individual come quiz time.”

Regarding Jermaine’s background Clarke emphasized has produced a boy with a backbone forged in titanium as he is mentally tough and not afraid to work hard. Miller, he says, does not subscribe to the short cut or instant gratification ideology that tends to lead so many young people down a dangerous and often destructive path. “You know, some people from an inner-city community would try to hide it, but he does not,” Clarke said. “He lets you know where he is from. He also does not have the mindset and attitude of someone from a depressed community as he doesn’t think of bleaching, smoking, idling and so on.”  

Indeed, to be on the St Jago quiz team requires a disciplined approach that most teenagers simply would not have the fortitude to commit to as it dictates their lives for the better part of a year.  Miller and his fellow quiz mates live with the coach for the entire quiz season which can run from May to however long they manage to stay in the competition. This basically means that for approximately nine months out of the year they eat, sleep and breathe quiz. They also do not take public transportation but are carried to and from school as the relevant personnel sees to it that all their basic needs are taken care of.

Though it does sound gruelling, it does make them appreciate not only the rewards, but introduces them to the fact that as they get older life will become more challenging and it is best to learn how to navigate through this beautiful maze called life from early. It compels them to comprehend the value of obstacles, setbacks and difficulties and regard them as mere hurdles that they have to get over in order to be both successful at quiz and successful in life. “Working this hard teaches them resilience. The children do strike a balance between quiz and their school work and in fact, quiz studying actually enhances and improves their schoolwork. What Jermaine exemplifies for me is the saying that, ‘It does not matter where you come from, it only matters where you are going’,” Clarke noted.