From Annandale Secondary to ‘Saints,’ CAPE top performer has aspirations out of this world

Omari Holder, a student of the St. Stanislaus College, is one of Guyana’s top performers at this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

He secured Grade One passes in eight units, Grade Two passes in five units, and a Grade Three pass in one unit.

In an interview with the News Room on Wednesday, Holder opened up about his dreams and aspirations. First, he wanted to be one of the country’s top performers after heading to St. Stanislaus College from the Annadale Secondary School.

Now, he wants to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to study aerospace engineering.

One day, he envisions exploring space and possibly living on another planet, like Mars.

His interest in space and extraterrestrial life largely originated from his childhood fondness for cartoons like Jimmy Neutron. As he read and learned more, he solidified his desire to one day study and work in the field.

“I think it’s a really good field to get into to be able to explore space and go to other planets, find resources, and maybe establish communities and be able to live on other planets like Mars.

“I would really like to see that happen in my lifetime,” the CAPE top performer said.

The young man is also interested in aviation, mathematics, and music. And his extracurricular activities reflected some of these interests.

Speaking about his CAPE experience, Holder said it was initially a huge adjustment for him, moving from the Annandale Secondary School to the St. Stanislaus College.

“I was never really a particularly bright student, my grades were very average but I had a dream.

“I wanted to do something big. Ever since I got into Saints I said I wanted to try my best to be in the top five for the country,” Holder highlighted.

With support from his family, teachers, and colleagues, he did it. And he hopes his story can motivate others.

He posited, “I think with hard work and dedication, you can do it.”