Three receive inaugural scholarships from Agriculture Input Warehouse
THE AGRICULTURE Input Warehouse (AIW) has made its first scholarship awards and bursaries to support the local farming community and their families.
A total of three scholarships were awarded to students who performed well in this year’s Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) exams. Two of the scholarships were awarded to children of farmers, and one was awarded to the child of an employee of the AIW. The first farmer’s scholarship was awarded to Christian Jack, who placed 46th among boys, and 78th overall. The second farmer’s scholarship went to Keandra Stay, who placed 46th among girls, and 106th overall. The employee scholarship was awarded to Amiyah Bascombe, who placed 27th among girls, and 68th overall in the exams.
The AIW plans to improve on this its first scholarship awards which are for a period of seven years, and will carry the students through to the end of college.
In addition to the scholarships, a $300 bursary was awarded to each of three students for their successful performance on the CPEA exams. These recipients are Kaija Bascombe, Crystal Labban, and Koby Robinson.
Chief Agricultural Officer and director of the AIW, Renato Gumbs, addressed the recipients and commended the AIW for providing these scholarships, which he saw as an investment in the future. He encouraged the students to consider careers in agriculture, as the field has evolved beyond traditional farming and now involves advanced technology and innovation.
“Agriculture needs bright people because it’s technology involved. People who use a smartphone and control all the operations on the farm to irrigate and things, do it on a smartphone. So I want you all to think beyond just seeing a farmer as a person with a hoe and a fork.”
Gumbs also proposed that extra-curricular activities be included with the scholarships since he feels that this would give the students a more comprehensive education. He stressed the importance of maintaining the required above 70 per cent average to retain the scholarships.
“You have to keep that in mind when you are in school. So you don’t want to lose this scholarship or bursary, because what you’re doing here is also helping your parents, reducing the cost—the investment they have to make, spending money on you to be in secondary school,” Gumbs remarked.
General manager of the AIW, Patrice Joe, also delivered remarks, and spoke about the transformative power of education and the AIW’s belief in supporting the next generation. She also urged the students to embrace challenges for growth and to continue pursuing excellence.
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