Scholarships on offer

Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer

Four scholarships are being offered by the American International School in Kingston (AISK) to outstanding grade-11 students enrolling in its International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme during the 2011-2012 academic year.

The two-year pre-university programme, which is equivalent to sixth form, provides students 16-19 years old with an internationally accepted qualification for entry to higher education.

The IB diploma programme, which has been around since 1968, is recognised by universities worldwide and is being offered by AISK for the third consecutive year.

Scott Genzer, AISK's middle and high school principal who spoke with The Gleaner following an IB forum attended by several students and their parents last Thursday, outlined several reasons for providing the scholarship programme.

"This is a school of privilege and it has one of the best facilities in Jamaica. We want to offer that to bright Jamaican students [as] we feel it's our responsibility to help [them] have a different experience."

Valued at US$15,000 annually, the scholarships cover books and school fees and are renewed the second year of the programme, provided students maintain AISK's academic standards.

The two-year programme is open to high-achieving students with good grades, who are also required to provide recommendations from teachers stating why they should be considered.

Additionally, students will also need to take AISK's admission test and obtain good scores in order to fulfill entry requirements.

Victoria Kirkland, a former Campion High School student who has applied to study at a US university, says the IB programme exposed her to a wider range of courses over what was available locally.

"CAPE is an excellent examination but it's just that people aren't sure about the standards set, whereas everyone knows if you get an certain grade in the IB programme it's an excellent grade," she said.

Professor Brian Meeks, senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, whose daughter Anya is among the programme's first group of scholarship winners, noted her advanced critical thinking and reasoning skills within a year of enrolling.

Meeks, who attributes the programme's strength to the creative option, which encourages questioning and creativity, had high praises for its community service component.

"The part of the curriculum which requires that you be engaged in community for 150 hours over the two years creates a human being who is more of a citizen, is more involved in their community and has a sense of giving," Meeks said.