Area MP for Pembroke East Central Michael Weeks has hailed steady progress at Victor Scott School as a shining example of success against the odds.

After more than three years of taking Cambridge Exams, students “matched or surpassed the Bermuda average” with an increase in the number of students scoring the Ministry’s goal of 3.0 and above.

“In English there has been a 52 percent increase, Math 46 percent and Science a 48 percent increase,” said Mr Weeks.

“The students of VSS are like ‘diamonds in the rough’. They are moulded and sped everyday, and they from P1 — P6, prove their brilliance in every facet of academia.”

News of the achievement prompted him to write an opinion piece entitled ‘In Spite Of’ because “the only thing that comes out of ‘back of town’ is the violence and drugs”.

“I wanted to highlight the fact that in spite of all that’s happening in the surrounding areas the students are still producing good grades.

“That made me feel good because one of the challenges of VSS is the enrolment has gone down over the last decade.

“I looked at it as an opportunity to highlight the school in a positive light,” said Mr Weeks.

“These children are up against a lot and a lot of times we forget that in spite of all what’s happening we are still producing good children.

“We have some good results because we know that the good are the many and not the few. It’s only the negative few who get the headlines.

“I want people to know that in spite of it all, the principal, the teachers, the parents and volunteers in and around VSS are doing their utmost. And the school is still turning out top notch students.”

In his essay he wrote: “In an area where there has been so much violence and casualty in terms of loss of life, as a result of serious crime, many have stereotyped this area commonly referred to as ‘back a town’, as hard core, dangerous, that nothing good can come out of it or even that it is a place not safe to walk through.

“But in the midst of that raging storm of untruths and in that list of fabrications, there lies the ‘eye’ of the storm. A place where there is success and victory on a daily basis; a place where there is constant praise and jubilation at something as simple as a contest winner, consistent athleticism or scoring great marks as an institution on exams.

“That ‘eye’ in the midst of the raging storm is the Victor Scott Primary School (formerly the Central School) my old Alma mater.

“Here at this institution tucked off the beaten path of Glebe Road, is a place where Principal Valerie Williams and her staff are forging ahead with ensuring success with the moderate populous of students.

“The majority of who come from the surrounding areas of St Monica’s Road, Glebe Road, Parsons Road, Peat Lane, Edgeway Lane, Friswell’s Hill, North, Middle and South Terrace, Crosslands lane, Crane Lane, Deepdale, Perimeter Lane, North Shore and Field View Lane to name a few.

“These children come from areas that some of us as adults dare not cross. But these, the students of Victor Scott Primary School, walk proudly to their school house every day and everyday are greeted by dedicated and committed teachers who make learning fun and create an institution where children can remove their masks and get down to work.

“The mask of ‘I can’t’, the mask of ‘I live around here’, the mask of, ‘because it is a high crime area, I can’t produce as a student’. All of these masks come off and the work begins when the school day bell rings. And, the end result is a well — rounded student, who is prepared with rigour and obtains a good measure of success on exams such as CIE — Cambridge International Exams.

“The Victor Scott School in the core subject areas scored a 3.6 in English which matched the CIE benchmark of 3.6; and surpassed the Bermuda average; they scored a 3.3 in Science and a 3.2 in Math, which also matched or surpassed the Bermuda average and impressive by CIE standards.

“Despite the many challenges that the area has seen, the Victor Scott Primary School stands as a pillar of hope in the community.

“I would encourage all Bermuda to take their proverbial ‘hats’ of to the Victor Scott Primary School and send them congratulations for a job well done.