Despite power outages and ‘terrible internet’ young entrepreneur excels at NGSA

With 513 marks, 12-year-old Juvell Atherly of West Field Prep School in Ruimveldt, Georgetown was awarded a spot at Queen’s College, a feat he always knew he would accomplish even before he sat the National Grade Six Examinations (NGSA).

“I felt I did very well and excellent even though I knew I could have done better but I am very glad I was able to achieve the school I got because I know I worked really hard for it,” the young man told the News Room on Wednesday.

And that hard work paid off.

The budding software engineer told the News Room that he studied through long nights, dealing with frequent power outages and “terrible internet.”

“Every night, going up to the exam, I would try to study even if it is just one topic…I would take extra lessons at school…anything to get the work [done so I can] excel.”

But it was not always easy, Juvell explained.

The transition from face-to-face classes to online learning was one that threw him for a loop and it is something he is still adjusting to.

“It was very stressful because some days after I come off of zoom, I would sometimes get headaches because I am on it too long so I didn’t really find [online classes] as well as in-person…I prefer physical classes better,” Juvell said.

The young man already knows his career path and has been running a successful graphic design business – Graphics Station – for over a year, after placing in the top five of the Ministry of Labour’s logo competition last September.

The art of graphic designing was something he happened to pick up while watching YouTube videos and the rest was history.

“It was really random…I was watching videos and then I did thumbnails for my own channel and after the Logo Competition, a company hired me to make a logo for them…from there, my business went off,” the young man explained.

Now that he is done with exams, Juvell is looking forward to relaxing at home until the start of the new school term. His advice to other students preparing for the NGSA?

“Be prepared to sacrifice because there are some things you need to sacrifice to achieve your goals.”