In a world where peer pressure often leads young boys astray, three best friends from Trinity Academy have turned camaraderie into academic triumph—claiming the top three spots in their school’s 11-plus examinations and securing places at Queen’s College this September.
This trio brought the idiom ‘birds of a feather flock together’ to life, as they have stood by each other’s side throughout their entire primary school journey and all excelled in their transition to secondary school.
Dontae Carrington, Milan Ashton and Aaron Brathwaite emerged as the top three performers at Trinity Academy and are set to begin the next phase of their academic journey—together—at the Queen’s College this September.
The trio, who have been best friends since Class One, said their friendship was key to their success. “I knew them before Class One,” Dontae shared, “but we became friends in Class 1.”
Since then, the boys have spent all their primary school years in the same classroom.
Though their school has an open-concept layout, the boys learnt to tune out any distractions from their neighbouring classroom. “Just forget they exist,” Milan said matter-of-factly.
“It does not affect me that much.” Aaron agreed: “They don’t cause that much noise either.”
When it came to preparing for exams, they took different paths but stayed connected. “Sometimes we study together,” Dontae said. “But sometimes you have to be separate,” Milan added, noting that he attended extra lessons, while Aaron and Dontae mostly studied at home. “I did one class,” Dontae recalled.
The boys were all smiles as they shared their excitement about moving on to Queen’s College. “I’m excited,” Dontae said, with Aaron chiming in more soberly: “It’ll be a lot more [work]… but I’m prepared.”
Outside the classroom, their friendship thrives. “Sometimes we go to the cinema; we play games together,” Dontae said. “We meet up at some of our houses and just spend time together.”
Milan added that they also enjoy playing football during break time at school.
Aaron’s mother, Aisha Brathwaite, said the bond between the boys gave her son motivation and focus. “It was a little added pressure, knowing that the two best friends were on a journey with him,” she said. “But it forced him to focus and be laser-focused on the goal he wanted to achieve.”
Aisha described her role as providing balance and support.
“Make sure they’re well fed, well rested… going through past papers with him, going through topics he didn’t understand,” she explained. “Between myself and God, I’m hoping for the best… and the hard work really got him there.”
Dontae’s mother, Dionne Carrington, took a structured but relaxed approach. “His dad and I tried to balance structure with encouragement, rewards and lots of fun,” she said. “Every couple of weeks, I would ask him if he wanted to enrol in lessons… and every time, he would tell me, ‘we have it covered.’”
She also made sure that fun wasn’t forgotten. “He spent weekends with his best friends skating, going to the cinema, and playing Roblox.”
For Dionne, the boys’ shared goal of attending the same school helped drive their efforts. “We all knew that they wanted to go to the same school. At first they were set on Harrison College, and a few months later they changed to Queen’s College, which was great for us, as we all live in close proximity.”
She believes their “no one left behind” mentality really pushed them.
Asked what values helped Dontae the most, she was clear: “Discipline, consistency and determination… and the fact that he never settles for less, always wants to be on top.”
Milan’s mother, Danielle Ashton, said his motivation came from a mixture of friendly competition and structured support.
“His drive to succeed, boosted by the ‘lucrative’ fun deals with his dad and his friendly academic rivalry with Dontae and Aaron, pushed him to stay focused,” she said.
She also emphasised balance. “Whether it’s hours spent at the skate park or on Roblox, they remain committed to their goals… I’m confident that with each other’s support, they’ll continue to thrive.”
In a society where negative peer pressure and violence increasingly affect young boys, all three parents expressed gratitude that their sons found strength in each other.
“I like to be the bigger voice,” Aisha said. “Even though they might have outside influences… it’s important for me to make sure my influence is bigger.”
As Aaron put it, his advice to other children is simple: “Just block out the bad influences from other people and try to study more.”
Dontae added: “Try not to start talking to people that will get you in trouble a lot. They might influence you to do bad things. Find a study group and study together.”
These three boys have proven that with the right friends, focused minds, and strong family support, success is not only possible—it can be shared. (louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bb)
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