Sheena Gayle, Freelance Writer

Mother, Michelle and father Paul Robinson (second right) with their boys (from left) Kevin, Jerome, Warren and Wayne, at their Westgate Hills home in Montego Bay, St James. - Photo by Sheena Gayle

WESTERN BUREAU:

THEY ARE brothers and they are all national scholarship awardees.

Meet the Robinsons: Wayne, 16; Warren, 15; Kevin, 14; and Jerome, 11.

Wayne and Warren received government scholarships for their performance in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and were placed at Cornwall College in Montego Bay, St James.

In 2006, Kevin continued the trend of excellence when he received the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation Scholarship as the top boy in the island, and was also placed at Cornwall. In the most recent GSAT, the youngest sibling, Jerome, remained in line when he copped a government scholarship to secure his spot at Cornwall, come September.

The siblings are all past students of the Mount Alvernia Preparatory School in St James.

They have credited their success to their parents - Michelle and Paul Robinson.

"Mom will spend time with us with the books and Dad will motivate us, but for the most part both of them provide a lot of support to us," Wayne told The Gleaner.

Both Warren and Kevin agreed that there was no room for 'slacking off' when it was time for schoolwork, and they understand the importance of remaining focused and consistent in their studies.

Instilled discipline

The parents of the brothers are both practising physicians. "From an early stage we instilled discipline, motivated them to always strive for the best and helped them to understand the value hard work," said mother, Michelle Robinson.

"When they attended prep school, every evening after school I would sit with them, review and help them with their lessons," she continued.

Robinson said parents must sacrifice time for the benefit of their children. She said it is important that parents keep abreast with their children's progress in school in order to see where they may help.

"It is important that parents play an active role in the lives of their children as, if you instil the right values in them, they are less likely to make bad choices," she stated.