Former SVGCC students rewarded for academic excellence

The policy of the Government to award academic excellence has been expanded to include the associate degree programs offered at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC).
Last Friday, the accomplishments of seven students were recognized and rewarded at a ceremony at the SVGCC compound at Villa.

Two of these scholars, Adonica Bynoe-Barnon and Shandeen Johnson-DeSouza, received tuition awards while two, Janeika Straker and Tyeisha Garraway received bursaries. Exhibition scholarships were awarded to Shenika Samuel, Timeisha Jacobs and Shecania Small.

Bynoe-Barnon was a student of the Division of Teacher Education. She completed the secondary teacher education programme with focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)-Industrial Arts. She has vowed to continue developing her skills in the areas of architecture and building construction, and to expand her experiences in the classroom. She is originally from Bequia.

Johnson-DeSouza is a past student of the Biabou Methodist School and the Adelphi Secondary School. On entry into the SVGCC, she pursued the associate degree programme in registered nursing. She has expressed a desire to pursue midwifery.

Straker wants to become a certified accountant. The Green Hill resident is a past student of the Kingstown Preparatory School and the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown. On obtaining nine CSEC passes, she enrolled at the Technical Division of the SVGCC in the business studies programme where she graduated with flying colours.

Garraway attended the Brighton Methodist School, then the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown. She recorded eight CSEC passes and moved on to the Division of Technical Education where she finished with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.4 with a solid background in business studies. She is hoping to pursue accounting.

Samuel is from North Leeward and attended both primary and secondary schools in Troumaca. After secondary school, she enrolled in the Division of Technical Education and completed, with merit, the financial accounting programme. She aspires to become a certified accountant, with the aim of creating employment through entrepreneurship.

Jacobs is from Biabou and a past student of the Biabou Methodist School and the St Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua. She is the holder of 10 CSEC subjects and attended the Division of Arts, Sciences and General Studies before returning to the Division of Teacher Education, where she excelled in the secondary programme.

Small has strong interest in science and special education and is motivated to become a chemical laboratory technologist and a special education teacher. She is a past student of the Argyle Primary School and the Girls’ High School (from which she obtained 12 CSEC passes). She continued on this path of excellence at the Division of Teacher Education and her performance there has earned her a three-year scholarship.

Speaking at last Friday’s ceremony, Chief Education Officer Beverly Neptune said education is one of the pillars on which the nation’s development plan is constructed and congratulated the recipients for their hard work, dedication and discipline which has allowed them to reach this milestone in their career.

The event was also attended by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Minister of Education Jimmy Prince and Director of the SVGCC Nigel Scott.

The Prime Minister said students can rest assured that the government is serious about education and anything that can be done to assist students to pursue higher education will be pursued.

Commenting, Scott said that normally, when national scholarships are awarded, only students of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE) in the Division of Arts, Sciences and General studies are recipients. He said the government heard the cries and even as the SVGCC continues to tweak a new proposal for national scholarship and awards, as of 2017, Cabinet made the decision to provide scholarship awards for students from the associate degree programs.

“…And that is the reason why we are here today. The process involved looking at cumulative Grade Point Averages of our associate degree students from all divisions and as a result of that process, we have today seven awardees of these associate degree scholarships and awards,” said Scott.

The SVGCC head is hoping that an increased number of awards is given next year.