Six St. Catherine Students Receive Financial Support
By: , July 26, 2024
Photo: Dave Reid
Students from St. Catherine display scholarship cheques from the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation (PAEF), which were presented on Wednesday (July 24), at the Parish Office of the Social Development Commission (SDC) in Spanish Town. Sharing the moment are Executive Director of the PAEF, Pauline Gregory-Lewis (background, left)), and Chairman of the Foundation, Devon Samuels (background, right).
Photo: Dave Reid
Member of the Kitson Town Civic Committee, Jillian Wray (left), engages with former Kitson Town Primary School student, Amelia Brown (second left), during the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation(PAEF) Scholarship Awards ceremony held on Wednesday (July 24), at the St. Catherine Parish Office of the Social Development Commission (SDC) in Spanish Town. Sharing the moment are Amelia’s mother, Mellissa Brown (second right), and Reading Teacher at Kitson Town Primary School, Mariana Francis. During the function, the Kitson Town Civic Committee presented $20,000 and a school bag with educational supplies to Amelia, who will be attending St. Catherine High in September.
Photo: Dave Reid
Jaleel Jumpp looks on as his mother peeks at his scholarship cheque, which was presented during the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation (PAEF) Scholarship Awards ceremony held on Wednesday (July 24) at the St. Catherine Parish Office of the Social Development Commission (SDC) in Spanish Town. Six students from the parish received awards valued at $90,000. Jaleel will be attending Clarendon College in September.The Full Story
Six students from St. Catherine who will be attending high school in September, have received financial assistance totalling $90,000 from the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Foundation (PAEF).
The scholarships were presented to the pupils on Wednesday (July 24) at the Parish Office of the Social Development Commission (SDC) in Spanish Town.
Five of the beneficiaries are former students at Old Harbour Primary School and one attended Kitson Town Primary.
The presentations bring to 31 the number of students who have benefited from support from the PAEF this year at a value of $475,000.
Executive Director of the Foundation, Pauline Gregory-Lewis, said this year marks a decade since the group has been providing scholarships to needy students in St. Catherine to the tune of $3.5 million.
She noted that an additional 500 pupils have benefited through its breakfast programme.
“We are committed to continue the work for the people of St. Catherine. The need is great and the challenges are great, and whatever we can do for the parents, more so, the children, that is what we are committed to do,” Mrs. Gregory-Lewis pledged.
Teacher at the Old Harbour Bay Primary School, Kellesha Morris-Adams, expressed gratitude on behalf of the students and urged them to continue to do well in high school.
“Become the men and women that will contribute significantly to the growth and development of Jamaica,” she urged.
Shevel Lamey, mother of scholarship beneficiary Jaleel Jumpp, who will be attending Clarendon College, said the support has come at a good time and “will definitely help to alleviate some of the financial burden”.
Meanwhile, in addition to the scholarship award from the PAEF, Amelia Brown who attended Kitson Town Primary, also received $20,000 and a school bag with educational supplies from the Kitson Town Civic Committee.
Member of the group, Jillian Wray, said the assistance will ensure that the student, who will be attending St. Catherine High in September, begins her high-school journey on the “right footing”.
She thanked Dr. Vilroy McBean and the Tameka Hill Foundation for assisting in the effort.
Reading Teacher at the Kitson Town Primary School, Mariana Francis, said that the “much needed” assistance will “lighten the financial burden of Amelia’s biggest cheerleader and sole breadwinner, her mother”.