BVI’s top male student dreams engineering

By Horace Mills, BVI News Online Staff

When Kairhys Harrigan went to Exit Evening to collect his awards for outstanding performances at Elmore Stoutt High School, he had more than a handful of trophies, and had to be assisted in removing the awards promptly from centre-stage.

The aspiring engineer, who hopes to build towering buildings and lasting infrastructure such as bridges, collected a total of nine awards for top performances especially in the Science subjects.

Those awards, however, belie the true potential of the Grade 12 student, who finished fourth overall in this year’s secondary school leaving exams at Elmore Stoutt High. A total of 162 final year students at the school were assessed.

Harrigan is the top male performer not only at his school, but also across the entire British Virgin Islands (BVI).

“It feels good; I am very happy,” he told BVI News Online.

“I didn’t know that out of so many students I would be the top male in the territory. I know I did well, but I wasn’t expecting this.”

Harrigan, who has been a standout in academics over the years, works assiduously for every bit of success.

“I have been performing well over the years because I do my work in school; I don’t get distracted easily,” he declared.

He also implored especially other young men to aim high.

“You just have to put your mind to what you are doing – keep focused,” added Harrigan, who also attributed his success to the support given by his parents Caroline and Alexis Harrigan.

Did his parents’ names ring a bell? Alexis is especially known through his ownership of Harrigan’s Music School here on Tortola.

Like father, the son has a penchant for music.

The son is an expert at virtually everything – from saxophone and piano, to the drum and guitar.

The young Harrigan, who told BVI News Online his love for music is natural, already passed the Grade Six Royal School of Music exam for alto saxophone with merit.

He teaches music part-time.

He does not intend to give up music when he travels abroad to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer.

Harrigan promised that, after studying in university, he will return to the British Virgin Islands to make a solid impact.

“I like to manage projects such as building developments,” he said, while he noted that his love for engineering is linked to the childhood games he played.

“When I was younger I played games that involved building stuff, and then I did some research and realized that I really want to do engineering.”

In the meantime, Harrigan is now eagerly awaiting the outcome of the CAPE exam he sat recently. CAPE is the advanced level examination administered by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

Already, young Harrigan has belted seven CSEC subjects, which CXC administers especially at the secondary school level. He received Grade One (the highest possible grade) in Mathematics, English Language, General Biology, Geography, as well as Human and Social Biology. Harrigan got Grade Two in Physics and Chemistry.

With such strong showing especially in the academics at this stage, it is safe to conclude that the sure-footed British Virgin Islands young scholar is on track to hitting his big dream of becoming engineer extraordinaire.