William Knibb’s bright spark shines again

WESTERN BUREAU:

As was the case when she was leaving Rio Bueno Primary School five years ago, William Knibb High School head girl, Sana-Kay Dilworth, emerged as the top student at her school’s graduation, taking home the top prizes in mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, physical education and information technology.

The 17-year-old Rio Bueno native, who sat eight CXC subjects, has been advertising her readiness to take on the CXCs from her time in grade nine, where she sat her favourite subject mathematics and nailed it with a grade two, much to her delight.

“I just love the subject. Everything in mathematics excites me,” Dilworth told The Gleaner. “Now I am into add maths it is even sweeter. Calculus is such an exciting branch it makes me love the subject more.”

Dilworth, who has earned the admiration of her principal, Livern Wright, because of her discipline, being focussed and self-motivated, is viewed as the ideal student.

According to Wright, Dilworth is one of the best students he has encountered in his teaching career and see her as the type of student that every school would love to have.

“She is self-motivated and very focussed. I remember a time when a transferred student in her class began to show signs of dominance and she just took on the perceived challenge and moved her class average to 92 per cent,” said Wright. “I would love to have one Sana-Kay in every district from where students come.”

MEDICINE HER GOAL

Unlike many students who struggle to decide on a career path, circumstances have helped Dilworth, who wants to become a medical doctor, on the path she should take.

“Ever since my primary school days, I wanted to be a medical doctor. This has not changed but I have chosen to specialise in neurology,” she said, explaining that neurology is that branch of medicine which deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the nervous system.

She said she was drawn to neurology after seeing her beloved grandmother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer, struggled to stay connected with her family as the disease took a toll on her.

“Since her diagnosis and seeing the difficulty in getting treatment for her, it made me decide to focus on neurology,” said Dilworth. “This is a disease which sees a patient suffering with progressive mental deterioration.”

“I want to set up a clinic where an affected person with a disease of the nervous system can go for treatment,” she added.

Dilworth’s mother, Fayann Palmer, is absolutely delighted with the scholastic prowess of her ‘wash belly’ – the last of her seven children, as she is confident that her high-achieving daughter will make the family proud.

“I always knew she would place high in her school. She has been bright since her days in primary school,” Palmer said. “She is already looking out to find ways and means to support her at university.”

“I would love to get some help in securing a scholarship for her, albeit we are still looking at going the student loan route,” said Palmer, who added that she sees it as her responsibility to ensure that her daughter realises her goal.