Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
For years, whenever Caribbean Airlines pilot Tricia Ali was in the cockpit thousands of feet above the Caribbean, two grandmothers quietly took over on the ground.
They collected Katherine Alexandria Ajodha from school and made sure homework was completed, meals were eaten and every piano lesson and study session stayed on track.
It was through this family effort, rooted in sacrifice and discipline, that Katherine emerged as one of Trinidad and Tobago’s top three performers in the 2026 Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA).
The St Peter’s Private Primary School valedictorian earned a place at her first-choice school, Naparima Girls’ High School, after months of relentless preparation that she insists had little to do with luck.
“This came through hard work, focus and consistency,” Katherine told Guardian Media.
“It wasn’t a matter of good luck. It was about showing up every single day and putting in the effort.”
For the soft-spoken 11-year-old, becoming one of the country’s top SEA students had always seemed like a distant dream.
“When I found out, I felt an exuberance that I had never felt before,” she recalled. “My first thought was, ‘Oh my gosh, I did it!’”
Behind that joyful moment were years of careful planning and perseverance.
Katherine developed a strict study timetable, completing practice booklets after school, revising lessons and sharpening her creative writing skills while still making time to rest.
“I made a rigid schedule that I tried to stick to as best as possible, even if it meant staying up a little longer,” she said. “Of course, I also prioritised healthy breaks and time away from the workload.”
Like many SEA students, there were moments when self-doubt crept in.
“Yes, there were one or two times where the thought of giving up entered my mind,” she admitted. “During those moments, I reminded myself why I started, focused on my goals and took things one step at a time. Having support from the people around me helped me keep going.”
That support came first from her mother, who raised Katherine as a single parent while balancing the demanding schedule of an international airline pilot.
When Ali was away flying, Katherine’s maternal grandmother, Patsy Ali, and her paternal grandmother, Bebe Ajodha, stepped in without hesitation.
Bebe Ajodha described her granddaughter as an exceptional child whose determination never wavered, even when faced with health challenges.
“She suffered with a curved spine and would often get painful neck spasms, but she never allowed those challenges to stop her,” Ajodha said. “Being raised in a single-parent home wasn’t always easy either, but we all worked together because we believed in her.”
Calling Katherine “an amazing child,” Ajodha said she always displayed an extraordinary commitment to learning.
Ajodha said academics were only one part of Katherine’s life.
An accomplished young pianist, Ajodha said Katherine is a Grade Three student with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and trains at BP Music Studio.
She credits music and art with helping Katherine maintain perspective during one of the most demanding years of her life.
At St Peter’s Private Primary School, Katherine said she found teachers who challenged her to think critically while nurturing her confidence.
“The school helped build discipline and confidence,” she said. “My teachers believed in me and answered every question I had, even on weekends.”
Looking ahead to Naparima Girls’ High School, Katherine is eager to embrace new opportunities while continuing to pursue another dream: to complete Grade Eight piano and eventually build a career where she can make a meaningful difference.
For students preparing to write SEA next year, she offered simple but powerful advice.
“Your dreams are as great as your bravery to follow them,” she said. “Never let the challenging aspects of the journey defeat you. Be consistent, fix your mistakes, never be afraid to ask questions, and confidence will follow on exam day,” she added.
Ajodha was named among the top SEA performers for 2026, along with Amara Batan, Shivan Khan, Shazana Mohammed, Adam Ng Tang, Liam Rajnauth, Ethan Ramlacksingh, David Ramlakhan and Vivek Supersad-Maharaj.
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