48 Students Awarded National Scholarships, Exhibitions and Bursaries

The cash prize has been doubled this year for the national scholar who will receive the Prime Minister’s Award for best academic performance.

Forty-eight national scholarships, national exhibitions, bursaries and a special award have been awarded to students who sat CAPE and Associate degree examinations in 2019. Of the awards approved by Cabinet on Wednesday, there are 10 national scholarships, eight national exhibitions, 29 bursaries and one special award.

Ianà Ferguson, having received six grade ones, is the top CAPE performer for this year. And she was bestowed the Prime Minister’s Award for best academic performance.

“In addition to her full scholarship, she will receive an appropriate medal and an award of $20,000. The cash award has been increased for 2019 by 100 percent,” a release from the Office of the Prime Minister said.

(Top) Left to Right: Ronnie Richardson , Chiarra Peniston – National Exhibition winner , Dominic Horne – National Exhibition winner (Bottom) Left to Right: Jonathan Gieowarsingh – National Exhibition winner , K-Trica Isaacs – National Exhibition winner ,Miguel Gonsalves – National Exhibition winner

Shane Cadogan, a national swimmer, placed second, having received five grade ones at CAPE and he received the Robert Milton Cato Scholarship.

Cadogan is “awarded the sum of $10,000 in addition to his full scholarship. This is the first time that a cash award has been added to the benefits of the second-placed academic performance.”

The other national scholars are Melissa Adams, who was awarded the George Augustus McIntosh scholarship; Christalle Wilson, who was awarded the Ebenezer Theodore Joshua scholarship; Rasheed Fontenelle, the Dr JP Eustace scholarship; Karine Sampson, the Sir Vincent Beache scholarship; Jordan Lawrence-Hamlet, the Norma Keizer scholarship; Devron Blugh, the Bertram “Timmy” Richards scholarship; Rachelle Bradshaw, the Yvonne Francis-Gibson scholarship and Aranique Jackson, the Alban Henry scholarship.

All National Scholars have their tuition and economic cost (as per University of the West Indies benchmarks) paid by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines plus a monthly sum adequate for all living expenses (board and lodging) and associated expenses. National Scholarships cover five years’ university education.

National Exhibitions also have the same benefits as the National scholarships but will receive it for three years instead of five.

This year’s national Exhibitions have been awarded to Tiffany Durrant, Jonathon Gieowarsingh, Saeed Bowman, Dominic Horne, Chiarra Peniston, Shadia Williams, K-Tricia Isaacs and Miguel Gonsalves.

“The John Horne Memorial Scholarship is awarded for the first time to the student who best combines academic and cultural excellence, Saeed Bowman, a National Exhibition winner,” the release said.

Left to Right: Saeed Bowman –
John Horne Scholarship and National Exhibition winner , Shadia Williams –
National Exhibition winner & TIffany Durrant –National Exhibition winner

A special award with all the benefits of an exhibition award was awarded to Ronnie Richardson, who was the valedictorian at this year’s St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College for the Division of Teacher Education.

The release said that Richardson topped the students who obtained Associate Degrees but “he is over 21 years of age which is the maximum age, under the rules, for national scholars and national exhibition winners”.

The 29 bursaries this year were awarded to Affique Ambrose, Kelisha Hackshaw, Shari Marks, Sheruel Williams, Tamara Woodley, Regena Browne; Sue-Nesha Lewis; Alyssa Sterling; Roneice Gould; Xharia Jack; Delano King; Betricia Stowe; Zawdie-Tu Graham; Vacquel Questelles; Callice Watson; Shyan Hinds; Tenille Austin; Shanelle Pierre; Lerondo Lynch; Benisha Rodney; Floyd Bailey; Tracy Robinson; Ronique Joseph; Gianluca Da Silva; Daniel Bess; Modica Bascombe; Okeisha Davy; Sheldon Frederick; and Travis Henry. These bursaries are for three years of university education with an annual value of $25,000, which is an increase of $5000 on the previous awards.