One of this year’s top CSEC performers Janelle Brisbane attributes her ten ones to a balanced life and a determined consistency in her approach to studying for her exams. The daughter of Lucy and Jerry Brisbane, she has set her sights on turning her passion into her career, but knows full well that her journey requires a step-by-step approach. She sat down with DNO for an exclusive interview.
DNO: Did you begin CSEC preparations intending to take ten subjects at CSEC?
JB: No. I started out with eleven but I dropped Principles of Accounts at the beginning of fifth form because I love life, so I didn’t want to through the stress of eleven subjects. That’s why I dropped one and took ten.
DNO: Did you really expect ten ones though?
JB: I don’t know. I mean, I knew I was capable of getting ten ones, but when you know that you’ve made mistakes on exams so you worry about whether you’ll get a one on this exam or that. Ten ones came kind of came as, not a surprise but it was not the first thing that came to mind. I thought I would have gotten eight ones and two twos, because of the mistakes I knew that I’d made. But I guess they were not big mistakes.
DNO: Share with us a bit about going through these exams and staying focused all the way through, even knowing that you had made those mistakes.
JB: Our mock exams sort of helped me prepare and eased the studying, but studying for ten exams I still had to be consistently studying every day. I tried to get sleep too so it was not all late nights because I knew sleep was important and if I didn’t get enough I would not be able to stay focused.
DNO: To what exactly then, do you attribute this particular success?
JB: I like to balance my life. I couldn’t just study. There are other things to do in life so I tried to balance it out. The way I studied was to relate the facts to my life so I did not have to go through a book every day and knowing the facts, I made time to do other things. So I did music, I did art. I loved to go out with my friends and family. You have to do something to ease the stress or else you can really lose it when you’re doing ten subjects. So there had to be balance, if not I would have been in problems.
DNO: What are your other hobbies?
JB: I play video games, but I like something that challenges me. My favorite thing is to be in the outdoors. I like to take my camera and take pictures of various animals and try to identify them. That was my biggest hobby.
DNO: Tell us about the influence of your parents in your success.
JB: My mom was the one who made sure that I got adequate sleep and that I ate, because when I get in the zone with studying, I sometimes forget to eat and Daddy was the one who kept me motivated and stress-free. He would always encourage me.
DNO: What about your teachers, were there any that particularly stood out in your development?
JB: All my teachers, because without them I probably would not have gotten ones, but particularly Ms Jno Baptiste, our principal Mrs Dublin and Ms Prentiss because there were some stressful time and they definitely helped me and I really appreciate it. The tutors as well, I want to say thank you to them.
DNO: What is the next step for you, where does your academic career go from here?
JB: I am actually going to go to boarding school in Canada until I turn 18, then hopefully I’m going to become a Conservation Biologist, because I want to help preserve the environment. I’m not sure where I want to study yet, I have to find a school that suits me best in terms of the surroundings. That’s why I’m going to Canada. The lakes, forests and rivers will allow me to study my work in the field rather than just in classrooms.
An admitted eco- fanatic, Brisbane is set on approaching the forestry division with a proposed event called Eco-Week.
She concluded, “I’m planning on going to Forestry before I leave, to help with my plans for an international eco week. So I want to start at home, with a cleanup program and getting the schools involved, because if we can impress upon the children the need for preservation we will be better off.”
Brisbane got ones in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English, Information Technology, Geography, History, Principles of Business and French.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Students who performed well in CSEC and want to be featured on Dominica News Online should write to [email protected] or call 275-3200.
congratulation Janelle. good job.I remember you as a litter girl always smart.Congratulation to my ex boss and his wife >I enjoy working with you all for 15 years .Keep up the good works.
Congrats Jeanelle!!! Keep your dream alive and strive for the best always.
I am big on education and I am always happy when students work hard and then reap the rewards. Congratulations to you and your family.
Congratulations to you Janelle Brisbane.
But I hope that since you are so smart, that you will tell your father that he is robbing Dominica, by NOT paying his taxes!
What that have to do with the young lady?
ADMIN… You all are so unfair. I asked you all a question yesterday and you all never post it… But you all post all negative comments.
@ Anonymous
You, too have had negative comments which were posted. Refer to you all your comments.
Greetings to the Brisbane family, well done. Proud Dominicans, I must say.
Wish her all the best in the future.
A perfect 10 !!! Congratulations to you, your parents and teachers. You certainly have the potential to achieve whatever you put your mind to. I wish you success in future endeavours.
International eco week is a wonderful idea. That can be further developed beyond a clean up campaign and tied to our eco-tourism theme and promoted to the level of the international kweyol music festival. Universities from around the world can be invited to symposiums, fairs, hikes, bird watch and identification of flora and fauna. Hope forestry is receptive; brilliant idea, Janelle.
I forgot to add whale watching and marine biology since we have the richest and healthiest coral reefs on earth. Make it big !! Sell it loud!!
congrats
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Brisbane. You must be so proud!
Wonderful job! Here is someone who will go far. And what a good career choice right now. She said she loves nature, and so I hope her work will help keep that nature alive and well for future generations to see.
Congratulations! You are on the right track and living a well-balanced life which assisted you to excel and get those high grades. You know the saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” and Mary…too a dull girl.
Your parents are to be commended as well and are obviously proud of your achievement. Generally, parents want what is best for their children. Children need parents who will encourage them and assist them in this and other respects.
The majority of our successes from youth really revert to our parents and also teachers who took an interest in us and our studies and others who encouraged us through those years of our struggles.
Do you plan on going to British Columbia? The weather is mild in B.C., hardly ever, if none at all in winter and no snow.
Alberta is extremely cold in winter. How about Toronto? It is cold in winter as well but not as bad as Alberta. These are a few Canadian Provinces, the main/bigger ones.
I forgot that there is also London, Ontario. Some Dominicans have studied there.
Canada has many universities from the east coast, central and to the west coast. You have a great choice.
Whatever your decision, wherever you are accepted and is suitable for you, I wish you all the best in your future studies.
If you decide on Toronto, probably I will meet you here someday. There are many Dominicans in Toronto whom you may know.
Good luck and God bless!
Where all the “Jerry Brisbane” haters at to say congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Brisbane, Janelle and family?
Well done
A man who can raise his kids well, and run a business must have some idea of running a country.
jerry and lucia did a great job in this young lady congrats to all of you
gal u hot..i woulda smash all day lol
pearls and swine don’t mix…. maybe if you had some form of intellect you would stand a chance…. ohh well… not all parents teach their kids to have CLASS….you can blame yours for that…..
my brother leave my sister alone fada i know she hot and i know you want to smash her
God bless. I wish my daughter/son would be like you when they are born. Seriously.
Though I believe in GOD, I firmly believe that he only helps those who help themselves..
Congratulations Dear. The power to succeed is always in our hands….and you are obviously on the right path….stay focus and grab your dreams.. I wish you success in all that you pursue.
Outstanding.
Keep your focus, continue the “balanced approach”, enjoying the non academic to the fullest.
Sound and level headed!
great job!!!!! Keep on doing such a great job and remember God in all you do
Congratulations Miss Brisbane! Great job!
Good job! A very focused young lady and an inspiration to those aspiring to succeed.
AS I WAS SAYING: The rewards of hard work can be BOUNTIFUL…!!!
AS I WAS SAYING: Very well done…The rewards of hard work can be bountifu..
Cxc level? She looks like a grown woman .Congrats
Nice DNO…Congrats JB….
Congratulations to u young lady and keep striving!! Always pray, without the Lord none of this would be possible..
Please stay focused!!!
Congratulations on your acheivements so far. And thanks for thinking outside of the box and for realising so young that Dominica needs different skills besides just “lawyers and doctors”. Environmental studies is a great field and it will help safeguard our future.
Congratulations! That’s definitely the way to go. Parents and students alike take note as there is something for everyone in this article. Although she didn’t mention divine intervention, I am sure that when she spoke about a “balance” that included God.
Good luck in future endeavours.
GOD is the glue that holds family together. so where there is family there must be GOD, we MUST realize the power that GOD himself has VESTED in us….TALKING AND THINKING of GOD alone will not do…. WE HAVE TO LIVE, with GOD in the way we love and deal with each other starting with family, friends, neighbors et al. Anything otherwise would be calling his name in vain… GOD IS LOVE….
Same as commenting on this Website towards our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
I am my brothers keeper, peace to us all…
Why can’t you just congratulate someone who does well without assuming that they cannot do well on their own without “divine intervention?” I doubt you mean that as an insult, but it frankly could be interepreted as one.
@ Humanist
God is the Creator and Ruler of the world. He has given us life, health, strength and intelligence. Without Him we would not be able to get up in the morning and see the daylight, go about our business many times happily and peacefully, smiling and laughing and sharing a conversation and joke with one another. We go to bed in the evening and see the nightlight. When we awake the cycle goes on. We owe everything to God.
God gave us parents and some very good ones as Janelle’s parents are to her.
Everything really comes from God and everything reverts back to God.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “In all things give God due thanks and praise.
You must give God His dues and be grateful. Practice the faith and read Holy Scriptures.
When you die God is The One whom you will face and give an account of the allotted time which He granted you on earth and what you did with it, in words and deeds – action. This goes for each and every one of us.
Cease being indifferent and obstinate. Allow God to come into your life. Believe me, you will never regret it. You may even become a better Christian than I and some of us.
When some people discover Jesus Christ, His love for us and they worship Him, they are so elated that the sky is the limit. They jump for joy and they are eager to share Him with others who especially have not yet accepted Him.
He is Lord, He is Lord.
He is risen from the dead
And He is Lord,
Every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord.
This will happen on the last day, the Day of Judgment, as Our Almighty Father has ordained.
On that Day some souls will be elated that they gave God His dues to their eternal happiness. Others who did not will be saddened to their eternal detriment.
Do not let this godly, golden opportunity pass you by.
God bless you and may He enlighten you!
Are you serious??? SMH
Good fruit.
great reward for hard work.
Glory be to the Almighty