News

Winston Swaby, the 17-year-old former student of Victor Dixon High School, who last year shunned overseas studies and copped 12 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects this year, is the recipient of the Northern Caribbean University's (NCU) top scholarship - the President's Award for Excellence.

The award, a four-year scholarship covering tuition and books, was announced by Dr Herbert Thompson, president of NCU, during the President's Convocation held yesterday at the university's campus in Manchester.

Swaby, who's story was featured in The Gleaner on August 30, has received much positive feedback for his decision to come back to Jamaica to complete his high-school studies after experiencing the education system in the United States.

"It's fantastic," Swaby said of receiving the scholarship. "It is a great opportunity for me to excel even more, both academically and spiritually. I will use it to the best of my ability and ensure that NCU feels good doing this for someone else after me."

Swaby and his sister, who were born in Perrins, Manchester, migrated to the US to join their parents in February 2009, six months into his fourth-form year at the Adventist-owned Victor Dixon in Mandeville, Manchester. But six months later, he found himself back at the Mandeville school to pursue his dream of becoming an anaesthesiologist.

Lack of funds

He returned to Victor Dixon because he did not like the environment at the school he attended in the US and it did not allow students to do all the science subjects at once.

One of the stumbling blocks in Swaby's way as he planned his return to Jamaica was a lack of funds. His return to the island was only secured through a scholarship as his parents could not afford to school him here.

In addition, up to the start of his first semester at NCU, he did not have any money but pressed on in faith.

NCU awarded a second scholarship to Sherie Sinclair, also formerly of Victor Dixon, who bagged 12 subjects as well - six distinctions, two credits and four passes - and who will pursue a course in biology with the aim of becoming a neurologist.

"The university administration continues to be very proud of the high-end applicants who come to our various colleges to pursue programmes," said Thompson. "This year, we felt that the two students who came to us with 12 subjects each were deserving of something substantial and meaningful."