Justine Hope, who performed exceptionally well on all of her exams, is now focused on pursuing her ideal career as she looks to the future. The 18-year-old said goodbye to Immaculate Conception High School in St. Andrew after graduating with 10 grade ones in her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams and eight additional ones in her Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) units One and Two subjects.
Hope expressed that her academic success was due to her capacity to endure in the face of difficulty, having a good support system, and her deep trust in God. Speaking to the Jamaica Gleaner, Hope explained her joy upon seeing her grades, which placed her “one huge step closer” to the career of her dreams. While the journey to such academic achievements was not easy and required some sleepless nights, the teen had no regrets about her decisions.
Hope, the eldest of the three siblings, also talked about her happiness when she saw the fruits of her labour, and she credited God for playing a significant role in that. Having grown up in a Christian household, she described her relationship with God as her “ultimate source of strength” that helped her get through high school.
Elaborating on her relationship with God, she said that God has the “biggest sense of humour,” wherein he would “put you in spaces you’ve never imagined yourself in, doing things you’ve told yourself time and time again you’d never do.” For example, when the reverend in charge of the youth ministry at her church, the Portmore Holiness Christian Church, requested her to moderate a three-day seminar, she found a boldness within herself.
She subsequently showed her gratitude to her parents, family, and friends who assisted her along her journey. She shared that her father is her biggest role model, as he grew up in a small house in rural St Andrew with nine siblings. Due to the financial strains, her father would mostly eat bulla and bag juice for lunch at school, where he wore his church shoes with his uniform.
“I’ve always been a passionate person and as long as I put my mind to something, I will achieve it. That has helped me excel, not only academically, but in other aspects of life,” she stated. She advised people to set small goals leading to bigger ones.
She is currently in the middle of her gap year, which she took in order to apply for a government grant to help her parents, who are trying their best to pay for her studies. She is excited to start studying for a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree at the University of the West Indies, Mona, with the goal of becoming a neurosurgeon.
Justine was a member of the Prefects’ Council, president and team captain of the Schools’ Challenge Quiz team, president of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Critical, Conceptual Thinking Club, head of the Democracy Club, and editor-in-chief for the Journalism Club. She is currently a tutor at Sophomore Academics.
Watch a video of Justine Hope’s academic success below:
