PEP awardee shuns gloomy past to excel in exams

Although he didn't say it, Daniel* experienced something so painful that it placed him in state care, and it's something he wants to forget.

Despite that, the 12-year-old refuses to let his past chain him down. Instead, the child has risen to the top, being crowned the National Top Boy in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) among students in state care in an awards ceremony on Thursday.

"I'm feeling good, I will be attending the Wolmer's Boys' School come September," he said. "PEP was kind of stressful but I worked hard, I pushed through, and I did well."

The active youngster, who loves playing Roblox in his downtime, says he is determined to shine even brighter as he continues his education.

"I will do even better in high school, I know I will put in the work just the same." he promised.

When asked what advice he would give to other children like him, Daniel paused before offering painful but powerful advice.

"I just tried to forget what happened in the past and go forward. The best thing to do is keep moving," he said. Daniel's father was overcome with emotion as he watched his son walk across the stage.

"I feel very proud of him. He has sacrificed a lot. He worked very hard," he said, before he broke down in tears.

"His mother has been the one taking him to all the school events, getting him prepared for high school. She's the most supportive person possible."

Daniel's dad explained that he wasn't just focused on books.

"He was captain of the track team, he was on the football team, and he kept doing both of those through PEP. No screen time during the week, and he went to extra classes every single day. He worked very hard," said the proud father. Asked whether he was the strict parent, Daniel and his father both laughed.

"I'm the fun one," he said, causing Daniel to agree. The family's strength, dad said, comes from faith.

"As a family, we put God first. We do our devotions every single night. We pray and we always believe that we can do what we need to do. Daniel is going to exceed me. He has a very good future ahead of him."

Kristen Laing, public relations and communications manager at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), said Daniel is a shining example of resilience among the 182 children in state care who sat PEP this year.

"A lot of children in care would have come into state care through traumatic circumstances, sometimes abuse," Laing explained. "It is just so rewarding to know that they've completed their PEP examinations, they're going on to high school, they're shining, and we get a chance to celebrate them."

The CPFSA spends more than $115 million annually on tuition and exam fees for wards of the state, and this year, corporate sponsors pitched in with devices and school supplies. Laing also had words of encouragement for the wards of state.

"Your future is unwritten and you hold the pen. Don't let your circumstances hold you back."

*name changed to protect identity