In the Goodwill Secondary School’s 2020/2021 virtual graduation ceremony, Sherrick Mitchel captured the position of Valedictorian. When questioned on how he felt to be crowned valedictorian, Mitchel responded, “Being valedictorian was a very fulfilling role since I worked constantly over the years to maintain my grades.”
Notably, Mitchel considers himself a hard worker who has always been one of the top students of his class. He believes that it is because of his work ethics and the genuine effort that he provides when given a task, that he was able to achieve this milestone.
Like many of the other graduates in Dominica, Mitchel identifies the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017 and the Covid-19 pandemic, as the major challenges faced within his studies. “One of the main challenges I have faced since entering GSS would have to be hurricane Maria in 2017, which destroyed our original school grounds in goodwill and relocated us to the grammar school.” According to him, this was not a smooth transition since they had to adjust to different school hours and an entirely new environment.
Additionally, he continued, “The COVID-19 pandemic has also been a challenge as it forced us to do online school which was pretty miserable since a lot of teachers did not know how to operate on it well. During online school we received abnormal amounts of assignments, and certain subjects did not transition well at all to an online platform.”
Nonetheless, Mitchell remained steadfast and pushed himself even harder. “I really just tried my best to persevere through the annoyances. Maria devastated the island and afterwards things were difficult for a while. However, we overcame them anyway. For the online school debacle, I just tried my best to complete the overbearing number of assignments sent my way.”
Furthermore, Marcella Mitchell, mother of Sherrick Mitchel, expressed, “Sherrick to me is a miracle baby. The doctors told me he would not be a normal or healthy baby since he was taken from me weeks before my due date. He could only fit in the palm of my hands. At the end of the day here he is today, making me proud.” She explained that after having various complications during her pregnancy she is grateful that she could watch her son capture this title.
She continued, “He was always an A student from grade K. When he got a bursary he cried because he knew he had worked hard and deserved a scholarship.” According to her, Mitchel used this disappointment to propel him through high school. She concluded her statement by thanking the teachers of the Goodwill Secondary School for a job well done with her son. Her only wish now is that God grants her long life to see Sherrick prosper at college and even beyond.
Mitchell confirmed that he is currently pursuing Electrical Engineering at the Dominica State College (DSC) since his main goal is to become an electrician. He would like to encourage other young people on the island to persevere and remain determined. He advised, “Stay steadfast on the path to success and try your best at all you do and eventually you’ll be rewarded for your time whether that be soon or in the near future.”
