Ten students whose parents are employed to the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) have benefited from more than $1 million in scholarships and book vouchers under the entity’s 2018/2019 Scholarship Awards Programme.
At an awards ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Andrew on Thursday (December 6), scholarships valued at $100,000 each were presented to secondary-level students Ackeem Austin, Jhaneel Burrell, Jamier Ferguson, Tiana Gordon and Sherice Hylton.
In addition, tertiary-level students Josan Munroe, Martina Taylor and David Thomas received awards valued at $150,000 each.
PHOTO: MICHAEL SLOLEY
National Irrigation Commission (NIC), Senator Aubyn Hill (right), is greeted by Legal Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Claudine Bailey, just before the start of the NIC’s scholarship awards ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel on Thursday (December 7). Sharing the moment is Chief Executive Officer of the NIC, Joseph Gyles. The NIC handed out over $1 million in scholarships and vouchers under its 2018/2019 Scholarship Awards Programme.
The students will receive 75 per cent of the award now and the remaining 25 per cent next term, on the condition that they maintain at least a 60 per cent average.
Additionally, book vouchers for $50,000 each were provided to Mikhail McDowell and Crystal Laird for commendable Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results.
Chairman of the NIC, Senator Aubyn Hill, who brought remarks at the awards ceremony, encouraged the students to stay on the path of excellence.
“You increase your chances of getting a job… . This passport scholarship opens the door for our Jamaican young people to cease this global opportunity to access work anywhere it is available in the world. The NIC is doing its part in preparing you to realise these opportunities and achieve some of your missions,” he said.
In an interview with JIS News, scholarship awardee Ackeem Austin, who is a tenth-grade student at Denbigh High School, said he is elated to have been chosen for an award. Ackeem aspires to be an electrical engineer in the future.
“I feel proud of myself and proud to be an NIC scholarship recipient. It is good that companies help children to fund their academics, so they can be good men and women in the society,” he said.
PHOTO: MICHAEL SLOLEY
Chief Executive Officer of the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), Joseph Gyles (left) presents a cheque to Denbigh High student, Ackeem Austin, during the entity’s scholarship awards ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel on Thursday (December 7). The NIC handed out over $1 million in scholarships and vouchers under its 2018/2019 Scholarship Awards Programme.
The awardees were chosen by a selection committee comprising both internal and external members of NIC’s management, unionised staff delegates, the unions representing the workers, and an educator.
Since 1998, the programme has been assisting children of staff members and is part of the agency’s outreach activities.
