'Consistency': Toronto school board salutes three Grade 12 students who averaged more than 99.5 per cent

For many students, graduating high school with a decent average is a feat in itself.

But for three hard-working Toronto high school students this year, decent meant leaving almost nothing on the table.

The Toronto District School Board this week revealed the three graduating Grade 12 students who scored the top averages across all public high schools in the city for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Just 0.2 percentage points separate the three, making it an Olympic-style finish.

Arisha Mahey of Northview Heights SS scored an average of 99.6 per cent, while Emma Brijlall Nakahara, who attended Virtual School, came in at 99.7 per cent. Jarvis CI student Elina Tabrizi was the TDSB's top student this year, with an average of 99.8 per cent.

Speaking with CP24 Wednesday morning, Tabrizi boiled her success down to a word: consistency.

"I would say, consistency with maintaining the same studying routine throughout the years," Tabrizi said when asked how she accomplished the enviable average. "I think that's the main thing that helped me."

She said it was helpful when she discovered that she studied best late at night or as early as 5 a.m. in the morning.

"That really left me with a lot of time throughout the day to socialize with friends, screen time, extracurriculars, all that stuff. And that really worked for me. It might be different for other people," Tabrizi said.

Having finished her high-achieving high school career, Mahey said she's happy she gets to share the success that all her hard work has brought.

"Honestly, it just kind of shows that all my hard work paid off," she said. "For four years you've been grinding out a lot of late nights. Some days, I was even up all night, getting no sleep before my next school day. So it was a lot of fun. I'm super excited that my friends and family get to share this experience."

Even more impressive, the top scholars did more than just study through their high school years.

Tabrizi took part in volleyball, contemporary dance, and the yearbook and prom committees.

Brijlall Nakahara participated in the newsletter, yearbook and tutoring clubs, while also practising judo outside of school and volunteering with the High Park Nature Centre and the Toronto Public Library Teen Council.

Meanwhile Mahey played on Northview’s Varsity Soccer Team and served as president of the school's business and art clubs an co-president of the tutoring club.

While some might consider the extra-curricular activities distractions, Tabrizi said they in fact helped her to avoid burnout from academics.

"I just I think that those extra things are essential if you want to do good," she said. "Having dance on the side and volleyball on the side, it really helps keep you going. So I think it's very important."

Going forward, Tabrizi will be studying Health Sciences at Queen’s University in the fall, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her parents, who are both doctors.

Mahey will be studying Management and Organizational Studies at Western University with the Ivey Advanced Entry Opportunity status.

Brijlall Nakahara, meanwhile, will be attending the University of Toronto's Scarborough Campus to study Conservation, Policy, and Creative Writing.