Anguilla’s academic community came together in celebration on Wednesday, 26th November 2025, as seventeen of the island’s top-performing students were formally recognised for securing places on the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) 2025 Regional Merit List. The ceremony, now in its fourth year, was held before an audience of educators, parents, officials, and proud supporters, and was chaired by Education Officer for Secondary and Tertiary Education, Ms. Cherise Gumbs.
Though the number of merit list placements was lower than in recent years — 30 in 2024, 29 in 2023, 28 in 2022 and 25 in 2021 — Department of Education officials stressed that the accomplishments of this year’s cohort remain exceptional on the regional stage.
Delivering the opening remarks, Ms. Deveane Guishard, Education Officer – Assessment, Testing and Examinations and CXC Local Registrar, praised the students for their outstanding performance across CAPE, CSEC and the CCSLC. “Each of these 17 students represents an outstanding accomplishment for our nation.”
Students were honoured for excellence in Building and Mechanical Engineering, Drawing Unit Two, Financial Services Studies Unit One, Food and Nutrition and Health Technical, and CCSLC subjects including English, Digital Literacy, Integrated Science and Social Studies, among others. Notably, student Lerique Franklin also secured the title of Top Male Performer at the CCSLC and will be travelling to Trinidad in December for the Regional Award ceremony.
Ms. Guishard highlighted the island’s regional standing with precision, noting achievements that included four first-place finishes, two second-place rankings, one fourth place, six fifth place, two sixth place, one eighth place and three tenth-place results. She paid tribute to the network behind the students’ success, stating, “Your professional guidance and tireless commitment do more than teach, they inspire… We offer our deepest gratitude to our parents and guardians… Your constant support and unwavering belief in your child’s potential did not just help them succeed, it propelled them to this level of achievement.”
She encouraged the awardees to aim high, adding, “Remember that the sky is not the limit, it is just the view.”
In a moving artistic interlude, Mr. Michael “Dumpa” Martin also delivered a steel-pan rendition of “You Raise Me Up,” adding to the afternoon’s theme of celebrating achievements.
The sentiment was echoed by Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, who commended the students for proving that “excellence has no borders,” regardless of the size of one’s island. “You have distinguished yourselves among thousands of students across the region,” she said. “You have shown that whether our classrooms sit on a large continent or on a tiny little island, excellence has no borders.” Dr. Richardson-Lake extended praise to parents, teachers, and school leaders, while urging the students to see their achievement as a beginning, not a conclusion. “Continue to be curious, to think critically, to serve your community, and to lead with integrity. Anguilla needs your talent, your innovation, and your courage.”
Chief Education Officer, Mr. Bren Romney, delivered a detailed reflection on the meaning of academic success. Emphasising the rigorous discipline required to reach the Regional Merit List, he reminded students that “no one ends up on a Regional Merit List by accident.”
“It takes long hours of study, careful planning, and the willingness to make sacrifices,” he said. “That is turning off your phone, limiting social media, choosing revision over entertainment.” He further stressed the role of purpose and support systems — teachers who “explained concepts again and again,” principals who set the academic tone, and parents who made financial and emotional sacrifices. “What matters even more,” Mr Romney added, “are the habits and character you have developed along the way… Your resilience, your time management, your ability to learn from failure. Those qualities will carry you much further than any certificate.”
Before the official presentation of awards, Ms. Gumbs encouraged the students to embrace their moment with confidence. “Make sure we can see that pride and humility… Smile and beam with pride. This is your moment,” she told them.
Awards were presented by Dr. Richardson-Lake, Mr. Romney, Ms. Guishard, and Mrs. Rita Celestine-Carty – each student accepting their awards with pride and humility as previously encouraged.
Offering closing words of encouragement, Ms. Sherry Hodge, Deputy Principal for Curriculum at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, urged students to see the recognition as, “the beginning of your journey toward the higher calling as a highly intellectual being.” Drawing on the school’s motto and culture, she encouraged them to “live the vibes”—to value learning, innovate, be responsible, be respectful and remain resilient. She led the students in an affirming call-and-response declaration, beginning with the powerful refrain: “I am called to greatness”. She reminded them that “challenges are not roadblocks. They are catalysts to effect change, growth, and innovation.”
As the ceremony closed, Anguilla’s students continued to stand tall on the regional academic landscape, and their achievements — though proudly celebrated — are but the first step toward futures filled with promise.
By Janissa Fleming
