President schol winner plays, works hard

Expressing delight at having been chosen as a recipient for the prestigious President’s Medal, one of this year’s awardees and a student of St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, Summer Alston-Smith yesterday stated that she was thoroughly “happy, excited and grateful” about the achievement. Speaking to Sunday Newsday from the comfort of her Mary Avenue, Diego Martin home, Summer said she was still digesting the news, which she had received on Friday night while out with her parents. With an air of calm pervading the household, Smith said she first heard the news from Principal Elizabeth Crouch. Questioned as to whether she had done anything special to prepare for exams, a straight-faced Summer said, “I went to all my classes.”

Proving that an individual can indeed balance school, home and liming, Alston-Smith said she would not exchange things like “the four A’s and the top ten” for the experiences and life-long friends she has made during her school life. Summer also copped an Open Scholarship in Modern Studies. “I am a work-hard, play-hard kind of person,” she declared. Revealing that she had received seven I’s and an “A” in Art at CXC, Summer is hoping to one day establish herself as a psychologist so that she can “get some money and rope in a good husband.” Whilst this statement was met with a loud laugh from mom Carol, Summer said there had never been any pressure from her family with regard to home-work or assignments. “I come home and do what I want, when I want and how I want,” she added.

Recounting her childhood experiences, Alston-Smith said “since I was young, I’ve done it myself. I never had to have anybody standing up over my back and I would rather do it myself on my own time than having you tell me when to do it and how to do it.” Stating that she worked really hard on her liming for the last three months, Summer said she would be focused on visiting family and friends before leaving for the University of Redding, England, where she will once again be “back in the rat race.” Mother Carol said “we are really pleased, proud and blessed” with Summer’s performance at both CXC and A’levels, and her subsequent achievements. The statement: “My husband and myself, I don’t know what we ever did in our  lives to deserve this” was able to draw a smile from Summer, as her mother added “this is a blessing from above.”

Carol said despite working on financing Summer’s tertiary education, this will be an ease off their shoulders, and more so her husband, Scott. Asked what her father had to say on his only child’s accomplishment, Carol said Scott usually misses many of the celebrations in the household, but that he was very happy. However, while celebrating Summer’s exceptional A’ level results, he received the call from Crouch, thus adding another element to the celebratory dinner. Amidst a lot of laughter, Carol revealed that he was being ribbed by friends who were teasing him and saying that they would have to get a DNA test to ensure that Summer really was his child. “She got the beauty and brains from her mother,” Carol claimed.
She recalled that Summer, being a perfectionist and all, had said to her following the exams, “I am hoping to get at least one A.” Following the results and Summer’s four A’s, Carol said both she and Scott were “absolutely ecstatic.”

Carol confided to Newsday that Summer said to her (Carol) that there were many other persons who deserved the honour, as they also worked hard. Summer was the captain of her house at SJCPoS, a member of the debating club, played the piano, and participated in ceramics and mosaic classes. However, she admitted that she was terrible at sporting activities, and that she would rather watch sports (tennis and basketball). Her hobbies include liming. A small tidbit of information, if you have to bribe Summer, bring her anything with chocolate.