GUARDIAN LIFE Limited has awarded scholarships and grants to children of staff and policyholders who had excellent performances in the annual Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) for the seventh consecutive year.

At the recent awards ceremony held at the company's head office in Kingston, Guardian Life presented the scholarships to 29 children who sat the 2012 GSAT and who are heading to high schools across the country in September. The top awardees were Gabrielle Brown of St Catherine Preparatory and Kevon Findley of Our lady of the Angels Prep in St Andrew.

Gabrielle and Kevon each received scholarships for the first five years of high school when they began the new academic year at Campion College in September 2012. "The scholarship proves that hard work really pays off. I am excited to receive this award and I look forward to going to high school in September and to make my family and Guardian Life proud," said an elated Kevon.

New experience

Equally appreciative and excited was Gabrielle, who thanked Guardian Life for not only recognising the good performance of the students in the GSAT exams, but for investing in their future. "My parents are very happy that my expenses for high school will be covered for the next five years because of this scholarship. I will definitely give of my best in high school to maintain a very high standard in all my subject areas. This will be a new experience for me, and I can't wait to get to Campion to enjoy it," stated a beaming Gabrielle.

Among the other 27 students who received scholarships and grants, 23 were children/wards of employees and policyholders. The other four recipients each received a grant as part of Guardian Life's community outreach as the company awarded the top performing boys and girls from the Denham Town and Alpha Primary schools. The Denham Town Primary awardees were Bramble Hayles and Jenay Williams, while from Alpha Primary were Akeil Walsh and Danielle McPherson.

Additionally, as a special incentive to celebrate Jamaica's golden independence celebrations, more than 30 students from various schools in the Corporate Area received bursaries from Guardian Life to assist with the purchase of books and school fees.

Guest speaker at the awards ceremony, Ronald Thwaites, minister of education, lauded Guardian Life for its "continuing gesture to support education". Thwaites called the scholarship awards a tremendous investment in education in Jamaica.