Simply immaculate

Justine Hope attributes her academic achievements to having a solid support system, a firm belief and trust in God, and her ability to persevere despite all odds.

The 18-year-old is a past student of the St Andrew-based Immaculate Conception High School, where she achieved 10 grade ones in her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and another eight in her Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) units One and Two subjects.

“Immediately after opening my portal and accessing my CAPE Unit Two results – the last of the bunch – I felt a sense of relief. I was happy, of course, but I immediately began looking towards the future because attaining all ones meant that I was one huge step closer to the career of my dreams,” Justine told The Gleaner.

The youngster, who is the eldest of three siblings, added that carving out a path to success wasn’t an easy task as she sometimes has to prioritise her education over sleep.

But she never once regretted this decision, she proudly said, adding that it has been a very fulfilling journey experiencing her own growth and being able to reap the fruits of her hard labour.

Given her Christian background, God was always present as it was through her relationship with Him, who Justine described as the “ultimate source of strength”, that she has made it through high school.

“Anyone who has a relationship with Him will understand when I say that God has the biggest sense of humour. He will put you in spaces you’ve never imagined yourself in, doing things you’ve told yourself time and time again you’d never do,” she said.

She recalled at the time when the reverend in charge of the youth ministry at her church, the Portmore Holiness Christian Church, asked her to moderate a three-day seminar. This led her to discover a boldness that she previously did not know she had.

Justine then decided to move forward and take hold of every opportunity that came her way.

“My mom and dad have always put things in place to ensure my success and I strive to make them proud. My extended family and persons from my community have seen my potential ever since I was a little girl and are always greeting me with kind, encouraging words,” she told The Gleaner.

Justine added that her close-knit group of friends, who she can always depend on and communicate with, also assisted her.

She said that her father, Justin Hope, is her biggest role model.

She related that he lived in a small house in rural St Andrew with nine siblings and, oftentimes, only had enough funds to purchase a bulla and bag juice for lunch at school.

At the time, his church shoes doubled as his school shoes, but amid his struggles, her father held on to his faith, which was deeply ingrained in him by her grandmother.

Justine describes herself as “the paragon of excellence and resilience”, adding that the biggest ‘secret’ to success is intrinsic motivation.

“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 said.

“Set small goals that will eventually help with big ones and as long as you keep your head in the game, success is inevitable,” she advised.

With a dream of becoming a neurosurgeon, she is looking forward to enrolling at The University of the West Indies, Mona, to read for a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree.

She is currently in the middle of her gap year, as she took a year off in hopes of attaining a government subsidy to assist in relieving the financial strain on her parents, who are making every attempt to pay for her studies. She said that because the CAPE results were released late last year, she did not get the opportunity to receive the subsidy.

Justine, who is currently tutoring students at Sophomore Academics, was quite active outside of the classroom at Immaculate. She served as a member of the Prefects’ Council, president and captain of the Schools’ Challenge Quiz team; president of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Critical, Conceptual Thinking Club; head of the Democracy Club; and editor-in-chief for the Journalism Club.

“I absolutely love my past high school. They have not only helped in my academic success, but also helped me become a well-rounded individual. The home of phenomenal women ... was most definitely my second home,” she exclaimed.

“Our principals and grade coordinator gave us every opportunity to excel as leaders, planners and changemakers and never turned a blind eye when we expressed our troubles to them. I am immensely grateful for my experience,” she continued.

On a national level, Justine served as the Eastern region vice-president for the Scientific Research Council’s School’s Science and Technology Society.

Within the region, while many were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, she extended her time and expertise to students across the Caribbean by offering free exam tutoring sessions in CSEC mathematics, Spanish, principles of accounts, the sciences, history and information technology, along with assisting those studying CAPE science subjects.

Outside of her studies, Hope is involved in various community outreach efforts, including being the student ambassador for the Every Mikkle Foundation. She is a member of the Soaring Eagles Foundation and the Jamaica Millennium Vision for Youth.

“Always remember that no matter how long and winding the tunnel, there is an end. Always aim to finish well,” she urged students finding the road difficult. “This mantra should guide you through every walk of life. Just ensure that you’re maintaining your mental and physical health.

“As Mr Burke, my past English teacher, would say, ‘Mens sana in corpore sano’ – a healthy mind in a healthy body. Your brain can’t work properly if your body is not treated properly. I learnt that the hard way,” she added.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com