Petrina Francis & Tavia Peterson, Gleaner Writers

Kayla Taylor (left), Janiel McDonald (centre) Tevin NG (right).

Screams of joy were heard across the island yesterday as some 51,000 children who sat the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) in March received their results.

Charlene Ashley, director of communications in the Ministry of Education and Youth, said things went smoothly yesterday and the ministry did not receive any reports of schools having problems in releasing results to students.

When The Gleaner visited some of these institutions, some teachers and students expressed satisfaction with the results they had received.

Kayla Taylor, a student at Jessie Ripoll Primary School in Kingston, is deaf in one ear as a result of contracting meningitis - an infection of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord - at birth. However, that did not prevent her from doing well in her GSAT.

Bound for Wolmer's High School for Girls in September, Kayla said she was delighted when she got the news that she was going to the school of her choice.

"When I heard that I was going to Wolmer's, I started to bounce on the tip of my toes and then I gave one big jump and said 'Yes! Yes!'" Kayla told The Gleaner yesterday.

Really excited

She added: "I was really excited because I was kind of nervous because I was wondering if I could work up to the expectations of the school, but my mommy told me that I could, and I really did it."

Kayla attributes her success to her teachers and her parents as well as the hard work she put in each day.

The 12-year-old says she has her eyes set on a career in law or medicine.

"I like to talk a lot and I make a good argument and most times I win so I would do well in law," she said. Kayla also noted that she was interested in medicine because, given her condition, she would like to find cures for some of the diseases.

Meanwhile, excitement reigned at St. Peter Claver Primary School yesterday as anxious students received their results. One of these students was 11-year-old Janiel McDonald, a resident of the Rose Town, Kingston.

"When I found out that I will be going to Wolmer's, I was very happy. I think it is a good school and I am very excited about going there", she told The Gleaner yesterday.

Rose-Marie Blackwood McDonald, Janiel's mother, who was at the school to share the joyous moment with her daughter, said she was happy with Janiel's results.

Janiel, who wants to become an accountant, attributed her success to her parents and teachers, adding that her father, who is a taxi operator, has been very supportive of her and has been giving her words of encouragement.

"He is always telling me to keep up the good work."

Tevin NG of St. Peter Claver Primary School was ecstatic when he found out that he was placed at Kingston College.

I worked hard and did my best so I was very happy," the young doctor in the making told The Gleaner.