Keishaun Augustus believes the early loss of his father, Malcolm, is part of what gave him his drive to achieve.“I was told my dad had a passion for maths and business, that he wanted to become an accountant,” the 17-year-old aspiring actuary said.“I was one year old when I lost my father. I believe in some ways that helped to motivate me, to make sure I do something good and make something of myself.”He added: “I always strive to do my best, and that really brings out the competitive side of me. I like challenges. Being an actuary involves math and business, and I’ve liked both since primary school.”After graduating from the Berkeley Institute with double honours, Keishaun is set to carry on the dream, starting next month at St John’s University in New York.Right now, he works during his spare hours at White’s Southside to help support his mother, Keisha Trott.“I see how much my mother gives up so my brothers and sister can have a good life, so when I become an actuary I want to take care of her,” he said.Along with Quayshaun, 19, Renisha, 14, and Kaylin, seven, Keishaun has grown up along North Shore, in Pembroke.His business experience and gift of the gab earned him a special place as a “peer teacher” in Berkeley.“I think I’m the first Berkeley ever had,” Keishaun said, of his job teaching the GCSE S2 finance class.“I was nervous at first. I thought, ‘what am I getting myself into?’ But my uncle teaches English at Berkeley, and I could do it.”Berkeley Institute principal Michelle Simmons said the supervised teaching position was “a special appointment” from Keishaun’s teacher, after he took the top grade in his class for GCSE Business.“I have been told that Keishaun is able to break down the content in a way which students can understand,” Ms Simmons said.His hard work at the school was reflected at last month’s graduation when, courtesy of his surname, Keishaun was the first student called.“I got this list of awards and prizes that didn’t know about until it was read out,” he said still managing to sound surprised.The Dame Marjorie Bean Respice Finem Award goes to the Berkeley student who achieves high honours during all four years; the Dr Kenneth E Robinson Memorial Cup is awarded to outstanding male students; the Belco scholarship is for the top maths student, and the $5,000 Austin Thomas Scholarship recognises the perseverance to overcome challenges.Keishaun also took the Ernst and Young Award, and the PWC business studies awards, as well as prizes for maths, calculus, business studies and Spanish.He hopes to use his further studies as an opportunity to travel, with a view to eventually becoming an actuary in the property and casualty field.His said he owes a great deal of his achievements to three years’ experience as a student worker in White’s produce and dairy department.“I learned a lot of responsibility doing that job,” he said. “You get great people skills helping customers out day to day. I used it to help teach, too.“Every generation should be more advanced. I was able to use all that information I’d learned, and share it. The good thing with teaching has been helping bring that to the next generation.”l Useful website: www.stjohns.edu.