National awardees ready for the challenge

They heard the good news from friends, family members, and even a screaming neighbour. They are the recipients of the 2007 National Scholarships from the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

And in one year’s time, they will be heading off to universities around the region to pursue their studies.

The top ten performers at the Cambridge GCE Advanced Level and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) were announced by Minister of Education Girlyn Miguel at a press conference held at Cabinet Room on Tuesday, September 4th.

Six of the ten awardees: Raquel Frederick, Jomokie Phillips, Aidon Shearman, Arvid Shearman, Heidi Badenock and Joan Joseph were awarded National Scholarships of five year duration, while Osneth Cato, Jo-Ann Marshall, Calicia Charles and Candida DaSilva were awarded Exhibitions, which will cover a three-year period.

Searchlight caught up with five of the six awardees: Frederick, Phillips, Joseph and the Shearman brothers, and spoke to them about their awards. All of the students expressed excitement about receiving a scholarship, and said they look forward to starting studies next year.

The Shearman brothers both plan to take up studies at the UWI Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, with older brother Aidon hoping to pursue studies in Accounting and Economics, and Arvid aiming at classes in Business and/or Accounting.

The brothers, who live at Lowmans Windward, have been academic rivals since secondary school days, and intend to continue their attempts to out-do each other while at University.

Seventeen-year-old Arvid (Accounts – B, Business Studies – B, Economics – B, Computing – E, Communication Studies – CAPE grade 3) plans to become an Accountant or Hotel Resort Manager, while his one-year older brother Aidon (Business Studies – A, Accounts – B, Economics – B, Computing D, Communication Studies – CAPE grade 2) would love to be the CEO of his own Accounting firm.

Also hoping to head off to Cave Hill in one year’s time is soft spoken 18-year-old Joan Joseph (Accounts – B, Business Studies – B, Economics – B, Mathematics – Unit 1 – Grade 3, Unit 2 – Grade 4 and Communications Studies – Grade 2 ), whose passion for Accounting and Finance has encouraged her to pursue studies and eventually a career in that field.

The Stubbs resident said that she is looking forward to some time away from home, and is eager to take up the challenge of five years of studies.

Jomokie Phillips is hoping that a position as a Diplomat may be available when he completes his studies at Trinidad and Tobago’s St. Augustine Campus.

Phillips, 19, (Economics – B, Law – B, Literature – B, History – C, Communication Studies – Grade 2) of Redemption Sharpes, plans to take up studies in Economics with International Relations and Accounting, when his time comes around.

According to Phillips, who would also like to become an Accountant or an Economist, a screaming neighbor alerted him that he was awarded a National Scholarship after hearing it on the radio.

True to her employment aspirations, top performer in this year’s A levels and CAPE Examinations, 18-year-old Raquel Frederick, (Accounts – A, Economics – A, Mathematics – Grade I, Communication Studies – Grade 1), is still calculating and assessing all possibilities before deciding where she will be attending University.

The aspiring Actuarial Scientist (an expert in Statistics and Probability who calculates risk) said that she will have to take a number of factors into consideration before making her choice of school.

She plans to go into Management, and thinks that her choice of studies could help her in becoming a very successful entrepreneur.

Despite the various choices and decisions each student has made, they all agree that they intend to step up to the challenge that lies ahead, and promised to be focused all the way through.

The upcoming year, however, would likely be spent working, in an attempt to gain experience and some spending money.