For Brenda Cherotich, Covid-19 pandemic was the perfect motivation to study hard and be a doctor to save suffering patients.
The 16 year-old said she would forego a lot of luxuries and dip herself in intense revision during lockdowns when the schools were shut.
The sacrifice paid off. She scored an A plain grade with 87.67 points and emerged the best in the South Rift region.
She is ranked ninth nationally.
She schooled at Kipsigis Girls High school in Kericho which had a mean grade of 9.2.
She now wants to study medicine at the university.
“It was not easy when you see neighbours lose their beloved ones from Covid-19 disease," said.
Cherotich further said the pandemic traumatised her, especially when the announcements about the fatality statistics were made.
“I used to see people bury their dead in a span of one or two months,” Brenda said.
It is then that she vowed not stand in the sidelines without helping. For her, being part of the frontline responders is the best way to prepare for the next pandemic.
The school's deputy principal, Cylivia Ngetich, attributed the improvement in the national exam to hard work among the students, teachers and school support staff.
The deputy principal said the school had improved a great deal compared to last year.
She said covering the school syllabus in time helped in the revision and monitoring of individual students before the exam.
Despite the trauma, Cherotich said, she had had to ensure she struggled with revision for seven months after getting motivation from teachers and her mother, Emmy Cheruiyot.
The girl hailing from Chebawon in Belgut is raised by a single mother.
UDA Women Representative nominee Beatrice Kemei joined the students during the celebration by the top performing student at the school.
She congratulated the mother for foregoing her leisure to ensure that her daughter performed well in the exam.
The politician said those who did not pass well will also get slots at local colleges.
She also said with the current 100 per cent transition, those who passed should rest assured that they will join some national universities and technical colleges.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
