(Trinidad Guardian) In an extraordinary display of resilience and determination, Jude Jones, a pupil of Ramai Trace Hindu School in Debe, topped his school in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exams even though he wrote the examination with a broken wrist.
The night before the SEA exams in March, Jones accidentally fell off his bed.
Although he suffered swelling to his hand, he tolerated the pain and wrote the test, passing for his first-choice school–Presentation College.
During an awards function at the school yesterday, Jones received a trophy for outstanding performance in the SEA examinations.
Speaking to Guardian Media in an exclusive interview, Jones said he was always determined to tackle his academic hurdles head-on. He revealed that his broken wrist was not the worst of his challenges.
Early last year, after being stricken by COVID-19, Jones said he suffered swelling in his appendix and had to undergo emergency surgery.
Despite his predicament, Jones persevered, studying for two hours every day as well as attending extra lessons.
“After the surgery, it healed a few months later. I was so nervous for SEA and I don’t know how I did this, getting first in my school,” he said.
Recognising the importance of additional guidance, Jones praised his teachers Sir Ramcharan Motilal and Ms Kelly Ramlal for showing faith in him.
“They were wonderful to me and so were my parents,” he said. Jones said he got 96 per cent in Maths, 90.62 in Language Arts which is Grammar, and in the ELA Creative Writing I got 18 out of 20,” he said. He noted that his classmates also did well, passing for first and second-choice schools.
He also thanked his parents, Sunita and Jason Jones, who stood by his side. He said his brother Jake also motivated him.
Reflecting on his arduous journey, Jones said his primary school life was usurped when the ministry closed down his school and they were transferred into a temple. Even though the new Rami Trace Hindu School is 90 per cent complete, it was never reopened.
He said the difficulties filled him with the unwavering belief that hard work always pays off. Jones’ dream is to become a pilot so he can have adventures in the world and take his parents with him.
Having never travelled before, Jones said he wanted to go to France. He also had some words of advice for other students who will be writing the exams.
“Always put in a few hours of study and remember never to give up on your dreams,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jones’s mother said he was always determined to go to school regardless of the weather. When the Ramai Trace School was closed down, the pupils had to attend classes in a temple at Rock Road. He also took extra lessons in Barrackpore.
“Barrackpore floods and whether it was raining or sunny, he was always excited to go to school,” she said.
Saying his success stands as a testament to the power of resilience and determination, Sunita said he went through a lot of pain in his journey.
“We did not even know his hand was broken. He was too focused on SEA and when we took him to the doctor a week after SEA we found out his wrist was broken,” she revealed.
She said her son’s success was a reminder that with the right mindset and unwavering dedication, one can overcome any challenge, no matter how daunting.
