From riverine roots to regional academic excellence

At just 17 years old, Laurex Vandenburg of Orealla, a riverine community up the Corentyne River, has made headlines with an extraordinary academic achievement.
The Skeldon Line Path Secondary School student sat an ambitious 18 subjects at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, securing an impressive 16 Grade Ones and two Grade Twos.

For Laurex, who dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer, the journey to success was not without its share of challenges.
Coming from a small community, access to study materials such as past papers was limited.
“Most of the time I had to rely on online resources, and when I couldn’t find what I needed, my friends would step in to share what they had,” he explained. This spirit of collaboration with classmates became a vital part of his preparation.
He admitted, however, that his study habits were not always disciplined.

“It was only about two weeks before the exams that I really locked in and started taking things seriously,” Laurex said with a smile. “That made it stressful because there was so much to catch up on, and at times I doubted myself. There were moments when I thought I might have to sacrifice one subject just to perform better in another.”
But with determination, support from family, teachers, and friends, and countless late nights of study, he persevered.
Reflecting on his success, Laurex stressed the importance of time management, especially for students preparing to sit CSEC.
“If you’re in the lower forms, start studying now,” he advised. “Once you reach Form Five, your time will be consumed by completing School-Based Assessments (SBAs), so it becomes harder to study. Use your earlier years wisely.”

He also cautioned students about distractions, particularly social media.
“That was one of my biggest setbacks. I would say, ‘Let me just take a five-minute break,’ but before I knew it, hours had passed. If you want to do well, you have to cut back on social media and put in the effort.”
Despite the obstacles, Laurex’s results stand as proof of what focus and resilience can achieve. He credits his achievement not just to his own hard work but also to the unwavering encouragement he received from his loved ones.

“My family, my teachers, and my friends all believed in me, even when I doubted myself,” he shared.
As he looks ahead to pursuing a career in mechanical engineering, Laurex carries with him a message of perseverance for other students: that discipline, determination, and self-belief can turn even the most daunting goals into remarkable achievements.