Remarkable achievement by Kamylle

Brazilian student in Nenagh achieves O3 in English

THERE was an extra special sense of achievement for one Leaving Cert student in Nenagh this month.

Kamylle Souza came to Ireland with her family from Goiás in central Brazil around 10 years ago. She could only speak Portuguese at the time and started school with no English.

Previously living in Newcastle West, the family moved to Nenagh seven years ago. Kamylle went to St Mary's Convent Primary School and then to Nenagh College.

“I had no English at all,” she reflects on trying to learn a new language in her early school days. “I used to cry to my dad, saying ‘Dad, I went to school today and didn't understand a thing!’”

But, with the help of her teachers in Nenagh over the years, Kamylle was able to master English to the point where she scored an O3 (70-80%) in the Leaving Cert exam.

“They were so helpful,” she said of her teachers.

“They would do extra classes. They would do Irish, and I would do extra English instead and that helped me so much.”

Expressing surprise as well as delight with her Leaving Cert result, Kamylle is now preparing for third level education.

She will begin studying Early Childhood Education & Care at Limerick Institute of Technology later this month.

Well done, Kamylle!