Ten Year Old Saint Lucian Primary School Student Makes History With CSEC Music Pass

At an age when most students are still years away from thinking about CSEC examinations, 10-year-old Eli Jeon has already made history.

The Grade Five student of the Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School has become the youngest student in Saint Lucia’s history to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Music examination, earning a Grade 2 after taking the exam through Music Hub at the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School.

But Eli’s achievement is doing more than turning heads in Saint Lucia’s music community. It is also raising a bigger question for the country’s education system: Should exceptionally gifted children be allowed to advance according to ability rather than age?

Eli’s remarkable journey was celebrated during a ceremony at Music Hub, where family members, educators and education officials reflected on the work, sacrifice and support behind an accomplishment rarely associated with a 10-year-old primary school student. 

“When I started learning music, I never imagined that I would one day sit CSEC Music. There were many days of practice, lessons, homework and performances, but I enjoy learning new things and challenging myself,” Eli said.

For the young musician, that challenge began long before CSEC. His musical journey started at just five years old, with his father, pianist Chun Young Jeon, playing a major role in introducing him to music.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, his father taught him to play Saint Lucia’s national anthem for a virtual school rally. Despite having never received a formal music lesson at the time, Eli reportedly learned the anthem in just 15 minutes. That early glimpse of his ability would eventually develop into years of lessons, rehearsals and performances. As Eli prepared for CSEC Music, however, talent alone would not be enough.

His father recalled that the young student had to rapidly strengthen his writing skills and ability to express himself while balancing primary school responsibilities, music lessons, rehearsals and preparation for his School-Based Assessment (SBA). Giving up his extracurricular activities was apparently not an option for Eli either. Alongside his examination preparation, he continued with school commitments, tours and rehearsals with renowned Saint Lucian musician Ronald “Boo” Hinkson. “Through his journey, he has sacrificed a lot, and I have learnt that success at this level requires strong support systems. Talent alone is not enough,” Young Jeon said.

Those support systems have helped Eli build an impressive musical résumé before even reaching secondary school. He appeared in Werner Semi Francis’ music video for Majestic Love, learning the chords for the song, and later joined an orchestra at the Saint Lucia School of Music before continuing his development through Music Hub. He has already performed at approximately 20 events and musical showcases, including the Cultural Development Foundation’s Arts in the City, the ToT Calypso Tent, Gospelypso, Junior Jazz, Jazz on the Square and Hinkson’s Show the World.

Lestan Celestin, Director of Music Hub, credited Eli’s development in part to the network of adults who recognised and supported his abilities. He believes the 10-year-old’s accomplishment could provide a glimpse of what is possible for other talented young musicians when the right opportunities are made available.

District Education Officer for District One Cyrus Cepal pointed to circumstances in which children may demonstrate that they are academically capable of advancing but remain restricted by structures based primarily on age.

Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School Principal Idonia Jules also praised Eli’s parents and the wider network that supported his development, including his fellow students at the school.

For those following his journey, Eli’s success is therefore not simply about a Grade 2 in CSEC Music. It has become an example of what can happen when a child’s ability is identified early, nurtured and given room to develop.

Hinkson, who has worked closely with Eli, described him as a Grade A student and pointed to the wider relationship between music education and academic achievement. “When Mario Michel was Minister for Education, he set up a commission for music programmes in schools, and I sat on that commission. What we discovered is that all students who do music do better academically. That is something research has discovered,” Hinkson said.

The veteran musician also recalled Eli’s father approaching him about having the youngster participate in one of his concerts. Eli wanted to tackle one of Hinkson’s more intricate compositions. Hinkson agreed to support him and made himself available whenever the young musician needed assistance. He is now hoping to have Eli perform alongside him again in December.

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