SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Still revelling in their Primary Exit Profile (PEP) results, the graduating class of Park Mountain Primary school was on Wednesday showered with gifts, grants and scholarships including a red carpet entry to their school-leaving ceremony.

School Principal Carlene Williams-Heath said all 60 students deserved recognition as they had overcome challenges, including Category 5 Hurricane Melissa last October, as she pointed to the graduation’s theme, ‘From Trials to Triumph: We Made it’.

“Every student here will receive backpacks with everything for school … in an effort to increase our students’ capacity and motivation. We have sought after different scholarships and grants for our grade six learners. Today some of our students will walk away with cash awards, paid tuition and trophies, and I tell you that this team at Park Mountain has solicited scholarships and grants for our students amounting to $1.1 million. At a time when our school needs that [money] I want you to understand… [This is] just to allow everyone to walk away with something,” she said at the ceremony held at St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Santa Cruz.