Crawford and Bennett cop second Gillian Whylie Scholarships 

The Selection Committee was unanimous in awarding the second Gillian Whylie Scholarship to Sareka Crawford for study at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Modern Languages.   

A resident of Ginger Hill in Hanover, Crawford comes from a humble background, her father being a carpenter and her mother a waitress at the Grand Palladium Hotel. A graduate of Rusea’s High School, Crawford obtained distinctions in French and Spanish among other subjects. The articulate young lady excelled at school and was either President or Vice President of the school’s Key Club, Spanish Club, French Club, Emerging Global Leaders’ Club and the Peers Counsellor’s Club.  In her community, Crawford volunteered at the Hanover Police headquarters and at the University Hospital of the West Indies as a Patient Assistant.  She was a member of the Hands of Love Foundation and the Lucea Christian Fellowship Youth Club, yet still found time to volunteer at the Hanover Hope Foundation.   

While now enrolled at the UWI, Crawford has applied to go to the University of Bordeaux in France to further her Bachelor studies.  This lady is a whirlwind!  “My aspiration is to become a diplomat and a translator”, Crawford mused.  “I progressed from being the valedictorian of my graduating primary school class to being the valedictorian of my 2017 graduating class at Rusea’s High School.  I therefore deserve this scholarship as I use my low-income status, not as a barrier, but a launching pad to motivate and propel my success”.  Ms. Crawford will receive $200,000 to support her studies annually while at the university and as support if she travels to France.  

The Fund has also provided a scholarship worth $400,000 to Talicia Bennett to undertake CAPE studies in Spanish at St. Jago High School.  “I believe I should receive this scholarship not only because I cannot afford to go to sixth form but because I am a determined young lady who is trying hard to get a fair chance at a brilliant future”, Bennett said with conviction.   

Bennett was awarded the scholarship partly from her excellent results from the CSEC examinations.  The bright young lady received ten distinctions for her efforts.  Even with the challenge of study, Bennett was able to participate in the Modern Languages Club, the Science and Technology Club and in the sport of Volleyball. The honour roll student is also the secretary of her community’s Orion II Pathfinder Club. A resident of Russell Pen District near Linstead in St. Catherine, Bennett faces the struggle of depending on her father, a taxi driver, to cover her tuition and expenses to study CAPE subjects at St. Jago High School including Spanish. Given her performance at CSEC and the support from the scholarship, this young lady will now be able to pursue her studies.

Only time will tell but these two young ladies are worth monitoring, as they will certainly make an impact in later life. We wish them well as they set out to achieve their dreams.