Adrianna has PEP ‘covered’ - Island’s top girl amazed at her achievements

As her name was called at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston to collect her award, Adrianna Cover, though small in stature, confidently stepped on stage as her family beamed with pride in the audience.

The 12 -year-old, who is set to start Campion College next week, was awarded by Guardian Group for being the 2024 national Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Top Girl. In addition to that, she received a $1-million scholarship which will span over five years of her high school tenure. The insurance company also awarded the top-performing children of their policyholders and employees, and gave grants to students from the Alpha, Edward Seaga, Duhaney Park and Clan Carthy Primary schools.

Nonetheless, for Adrianna, being awarded the top PEP girl was a shock, because although she knew her capabilities to excel in her exams, her achievements surprised her.

"I didn't expect that my work would be good enough to reach the national level of, like, the best people, because I was top girl in my school. But I didn't know it would be good enough to be national top girl," Adrianna said, adding that she was grateful for the recognition and excited to start her new school, even though at times she felt overwhelmed while preparing for her exams.

"I found that after working so hard, I got kind of burnt out and realised I needed to take a break. But after that I felt as if I was doing my best in my work," said Adrianna. Her family was out to support her, including her father David Cover, her sister Alexis Cover, who is about to entire 10th grade at Campion College, and her mother Anne McMorris Cover, who is a past student of the St Andrew school.

"We are unbelievably proud of her. We've always known that she was bright. She's not a studier, which is amazing because if she gets the concept once, it sticks. So it's not that she has to do it 10,000 times. She does her reviews and she's good," said McMorris Cover, adding that her daughter has always been dedicated to academic excellence.

"She takes the time to understand things the first time, and so with that, it sticks, especially if she loves it. Her favourite subject is math, so that is her top subject," she explained while flashing a bright smile.

She also told THE STAR that she is excited that her daughter is following in her footsteps and knows she will continue to excel. But, above achieving excellence, McMorris Cover hopes that whatever her daughter pursues as a career, it will make her happy.

"I have always said to Adrianna [that] I don't have a prescribed path for her. I just want to know that one, she always does her very best, and two, that she does the things she loves. I just want her to find the thing that she loves so it never feels like work," McMorris Cover said.