Sun | Nov 3, 2024

Five Kitson Town Primary School students receive scholarships

Published:Friday | July 26, 2024 | 12:07 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
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Amelia Brown (left) and her mother Athlene Brown (right), smile as they read the details of the bursary from the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation. The family was presented during a ceremony for scholarship recipients at the Spanish Town SDC
Ian Allen
Amelia Brown (left) and her mother Athlene Brown (right), smile as they read the details of the bursary from the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation. The family was presented during a ceremony for scholarship recipients at the Spanish Town SDC Parish Office on Wednesday.
Beneficiaries of the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation Scholarship 2024 are (from left) Jahleel Jumpp, Amelia Brown, Britany Thomas, Cymphonique Messam, and Shamar Gordon. The students were presented during a ceremony held at the Spanish Town
Ian Allen
Beneficiaries of the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation Scholarship 2024 are (from left) Jahleel Jumpp, Amelia Brown, Britany Thomas, Cymphonique Messam, and Shamar Gordon. The students were presented during a ceremony held at the Spanish Town SDC office on Wednesday.
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Standout Kitson Town Primary student, Amelia Brown, has been awarded a scholarship to attend St Catherine High School. She was among five students honoured at the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation scholarship ceremony in Spanish Town recently.

In addition to the $15,000 from the Foundation, Amelia received $20,000 from the Kitson Town Civic Committee, a laptop computer from a donor, and a school bag full of supplies from the Tameka Hill Foundation.

Born in Kitson Town, St Catherine and now raised by a single mother, Amelia showed academic promise from an early age. She excelled at Kitson Town Primary, even skipping a grade due to her exceptional performance. Her Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exam score of 327 was the highest in her school.

Amelia’s mother, Athlene Brown, who works as a janitor at the school, expressed her joy and relief at the support. “She shows that she was a bright girl so I had to do everything to help her. The other three never reached where Amelia is now. I had to do domestic work, go to the bush to chop wood, and clean people house and wash dirty clothes as a single parent to make sure that I could buy her books and keep her in school,” Athlene shared. “It’s a very good benefit for me, this ... is a blessing in disguise. It takes off a whole lot of pressure.”

Amelia expressed her gratitude, saying, “I wish to thank all the sponsors who have made an investment not only in my life but in the life of all the students here.”

Pauline Gregory-Lewis, chairman of the Poverty Alleviation Foundation, reflected on her own struggles growing up and her commitment to helping needy students. “I know what it is to go to school without lunch money. I know what it is just to be existing, so this is very important to me, it comes from my heart,” she said.

The Foundation which has been awarding scholarships over the past 10 years, marks its anniversary in January. Gregory-Lewis noted that, “As far as the parish of St Catherine is concerned, we have contributed to over 250 students. We (have) also told students that if they continue in high school and maintain a good grade, we would assist. And we did this for quite a few years.” Over the decade, the Foundation has awarded over $3.5 million in scholarships and operates a breakfast programme supporting over 550 students.

The other scholarship recipients from Kitson Town Primary are Shauna Johnson and Britany Thomas, who will attend Old Harbour High. Jahleel Jumpp will attend Clarendon College; Shahar Gordon heads to Glenmuir High, and Cymphonique Messam to Denbigh High.