Twelve-year-old Jayda White, first-form student at DeCarteret College, could not at first understand her mother’s excitement when her mother got a telephone call advising her that she, Jayda, was awarded a five-year scholarship by the JN Foundation and that she is the JN Scholar for the county of Middlesex.
“I was surprised because I didn’t know it was applied for,” said Jayda pointing out that she was extremely delighted about the good news. She achieved a placement score of 387.9 in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and was the top PEP student at the Mount St. Joseph Preparatory School where she formerly attended.
Jayda was among 47 students who were awarded scholarships and grants in recognition of their outstanding performance in this year’s PEP at the JN Foundation Scholarship Awards held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel on October 2. The event was held under the theme, ‘Ignite the Greatness within You.’
Fourteen of the awardees are parish recipients, three are participants in the JN Bank Easi Save Progarmme, 20 are children of employees while 10 were presented with JN Money grants courtesy of JN Money Services, the remittance company of The Jamaica National Group.
This year’s scholarship award is in addition to approximately 100 JN Scholars, who are at various stages in their five-year secondary scholarship award, and who have had their scholarship renewed for the new school year.
Jayda’s mother, Helen Thompson, related that she was on her way home with Jayda when she got the good news via a telephone call from the JN Foundation. She explained that she was overjoyed as she had forgotten that she had applied for the scholarship.
“I’m really grateful. It came at the right time to help and to know that JN is committed to investing in her future to help us as parents. Sometimes it can be difficult with the preparation,” she said.
Claudine Allen, General Manager of the JN Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Jamaica National Group, explained that the annual scholarship awards are an investment in young people to help them achieve their potential.
“It takes a collective effort to raise children. The JN Foundation recognises and embraces its corporate social responsibility in our various communities to provide opportunities for young people. It is our aim that through these annual scholarship awards, that the beneficiaries are encouraged to achieve academic success and thus would be empowered to become strong nation builders who will propel the advancement of our country,” Ms Allen related.
“We are committed to providing parents with the financial support and to encourage their children to continue to do well,” she added.
The JN Foundation will be strengthening the scholarship programme, beginning with this year’s cohort, to include a mentorship element to provide further support to the recipients.
Since 1983, The Jamaica National Group has been supporting the educational pursuits of hundreds of young people at both secondary and tertiary levels. The scholarship awards are one of its largest benevolent efforts.
The parish and JN Bank Easi Save scholarship recipients are selected by the Ministry of Education, while JN Group employees are invited to apply on their behalf children. Meanwhile, JN Money grant recipients were selected by the company as part of their ‘60 & Boasy’ back-to-School promotion.
The JN Foundation received more than 400 PEP scholarship applications through its website for this year’s PEP Scholarship award. As part of the eligibility for the scholarship, the child or parent is required to be a member, customer, or client of The Jamaica National Group for at least one year.
In addition to the PEP scholarship awards, 15 students at the tertiary level will soon be awarded scholarships.
