Her grandfather was an economist and his career has inspired Church College Pesega's valedictorian Jade Carmelita Scanlan to follow in his footsteps.

The 18-year-old from Faleula and Tiapapata has a solid head on her shoulders. She derives motivation from her father Etuale Scanlan, and grandfather Leasi Tomi Scanlan.

"I'm incredibly honoured and humbled to be given this opportunity to become Pesega valedictorian. I'm also glad that my hard work has paid off over the years and that the Lord has blessed me with something like this," said the excited teenager on Friday.

"Throughout my journey, I encountered numerous obstacles, such as rude temptation, difficulty concentrating on my studies, and staying up late to finish my assignments.

"However, I was able to overcome all of these obstacles with the help of God and hard work."

Jade had known for some time the career path she would prefer to follow. She believes being an economist would allow her to carry on a proud tradition and be of service to the nation.

She admitted that it would have been easy for her to give up and not work hard but she realised that her goals in life would never be achieved that way.

“I would advise students to stay focused on the task at hand, try to make their parents proud, and remember that the Lord is always with them,” she said.

Jade's parents shed tears as their daughter walked across the stage to accept her plaque as the Pesega 2024 valedictorian.

The family said they will celebrate the award and continue to support Jade in whichever path she chooses for her future. They have urged all parents across Samoa to be pillars of support for their children despite their results.