Twelve-year-old Jabari Hastings, a talented and articulate student, has earned the distinction of being the island’s top Boy in the 2009 GSAT Examinations.

A former student of Vaz Preparatory School in Kingston, Jabari, who now attends Campion College, attained the highest GSAT scores in Science, as well as Composition and language Arts.

Described as a consistent all-rounder, his accomplishments include being the KFC Quiz Captain of the Year, first speaker of Vaz’s debate team, in addition to being captain of the chess team.

While at Vaz, he won nine awards at the school’s prize-giving ceremony, having emerged the top performer in every category.

Prudence Dyer, Jabari’s grade six teacher, says it came as little surprise when he was awarded Scotiabank’s prize for the top GSAT boy performer as he was consistently at the top of the class.

A student who does not settle for mediocrity, Jabari remembers when he placed second in fourth grade; a period which he said was a ‘wake-up’ call for him to improve his performance. He has not looked back since.

He describes his teachers’ GSAT preparation classes over the years as being far much harder than the actual exam itself, acknowledging if it hadn’t been for that hard work, he would not have excelled as expected.

Jabari says he was encouraged to attend Campion College because of its high standards and excellent CXC passes.

He has found it a great school since he began attending there last September. He rates math, history and science as his favourite subjects, adding that the work at his new school is quite challenging.

Although he can be extremely competitive at academics, Jabari sees himself as an average person who simply makes the best use of his abilities. He is also an avid swimmer and lawn tennis player.

While he reads a lot, he modestly admits that he does not study “very often” during the week, although playing chess makes him a better thinker.

At home, he can often be found playing chess on his computer with online opponents, preferring instead to leave the television to his sisters.

Heather Hastings says her son, who delights in provoking his two sisters, is also a tough drillmaster when they have school tests, frequently reminding them they cannot afford to disgrace the family name.

Jabari’s form teacher, Rayan McIntosh, who also teaches him math, describes him as “a very bright, curious student and problem solver who is not afraid to ask teachers what he could have done better to improve his work.”

Occasionally, he will challenge her over a math problem during class, which she welcomes, as it opens the minds of his classmates to other possibilities in solving problems.

A firm believer in maintaining a balance between academics and sports, Jabari has some sound advice for students.

“Don’t value sports over schoolwork, because if you get injured, it can affect your entire career. And if you value books over sports, don’t overstress it. Try to maintain a mix.”

Tags: 2009 GSAT, GSAT Examinations, GSAT Exams, Jabari Hastings