Yanique Lowe: Became a high school celebrity last year after attaining 14 CSEC passes. - Photos by Carl Gilchrist

Ahead of National Heroes Day on October 19, The Gleaner this week homes in on the contributions of several ordinary Jamaicans who have made extraordinary strides for excellence in their neighbourhoods.

OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

The academic achievements of 18-year-old Yanique Lowe of Ocho Rios High School are motivation for her schoolmates and students from other schools.

Mario Palmer, a former Brown's Town High School student who is now enrolled in sixth form at Ocho Rios High, is among them.

"Yanique's performance has made a huge impact on my life and the school society. I went to Brown's Town High School and, whenever they want you to succeed, they always say, 'Do like the girl (Yanique) from Ocho Rios High'."

Palmer continued: "Her name is constantly in our heads and that's one of the reasons I decided to come to sixth form here."

Lowe's accomplishments have been phenomenal. Last year, she passed 14 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects and returned to add two more this year to make 16. A sixth-former at Ocho Rios High, she has passed seven Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination subjects.

After her academic success last year, she became a high-school celebrity, taking on the role of guest speaker at events, such as an AIDS forum, and a police youth club Christmas treat, among others.

Junior councillor

Even before that, though, Lowe read Her Majesty's Commonwealth Day message on March 10, 2008, at Gordon House. She was also awarded a citation by the St Ann Parish Council last Heroes Day. Currently, she is the junior councillor for the Ocho Rios division.

Lowe hopes to start her studies in management studies next year at the University of the West Indies.

"Her performance has inspired, I think, everybody at Ocho Rios High School," says fellow sixth-former, Sherianne Mesquita.

Prime example

"It inspired me because I saw a change in work attitude in terms of how serious I took my schoolwork. I also saw a need for others to understand that Ocho Rios High School, being an upgraded high school, doesn't mean we don't put out good products. Yanique is a prime example of that."

Impressive as they may seem, it is not Lowe's achievements that have endeared her to her contemporaries. Rather, it is her down-to-earth, sociable and generous attitude.

In her own words: "They look up to me, from what they're telling me, because I'm down to earth."

She has made everyone proud, from mom, Veda Hunter-Holness, and stepdad, Roy Holness, to her former prep school, St John's, and the entire Ocho Rios High family.

Tomorrow: The philanthropic Gordons

Mario Palmer: Yanique's performance has made a huge impact on my life and the school society.