THE MONTHLY GLEANER | OCTOBER 6 - NOVEMBER 5, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 6 By Neil Armstrong ONE MONTH into the new school year, 56 black and Caribbean students received scholarships from two well-known community organisations – the Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA) and the United Achievers’Club – to assist them financially with their post-secondary education. The JCA recently awarded 46 scholarships to high-school graduates who are now attending colleges and universities throughout Ontario. “While our tracking was not as detailed in the early days, we suspect we have awarded close to CDN$1m in scholarships over the 20 years. However, since 2019, we have awarded just under 200 scholarships for approximately $225,000,” said David Betty, president of the JCA. At its 20th annual scholarship awards, Robert Small, chief executive officer of Legacy Enterprises and the keynote speaker, urged the beneficiaries to use their talents to not only get a high-paying job but more so, as black students, to make an impact. “If the whole community even use five to 10 per cent of their talents to empower our community, we would be a hell of a lot better. We have so few people doing things for our community that are dedicated to it long term.” Small, a member of the Order of Canada, told them that the key to leaving a legacy is to be consistent at what they do and to not abandon the community. Using the JCA as an example, he emphasised that the students were standing in a place where legacy had been established. He underscored that, in the early days of the organisation, people pooled their money together and took out mortgages on their houses to get money to fund the JCA. Meanwhile, the United Achievers’ Club presented 10 students with scholarships at its 38th annual scholarship and recognition awards. The students are: Omolegho Akhibi of Toronto Metropolitan University, Matthias Beals of Fanshawe College, Kalah Brereton of University of Waterloo, Kiya Busby of University of Waterloo, Sierra Byrne of Queen’s University, Bryce Golding of University of Toronto, Anthony Matthews of York University, She’nice McNairn of Sheridan College, Violet Stec of York University, and Kyra Sutherland of York University. SCHOLARSHIP “We are very proud of these recipients as they’ve shown again that a large majority of our young people are doing great things. Some like our scholarship recipients are studying but we’re also proud of the many who are working, involved in apprenticeships, and generally contributing positively to our community,” said Joyce Temple-Smith, president of the organisation. Between 1985 and 2021, United Achievers’ Club awarded 426 scholarships valued at approximately CDN$420,000. The community award was presented to Jennifer CaveWilliams. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, believe in yourself no matter what the cynics have to say. I wanted to be a role model for other black females. Representation matters; becoming a police officer definitely stretched me outside of my comfort zone,”said Inspector Joy Edwards, the human rights project lead of the Peel Regional Police, who was the keynote speaker. A native of Cedar Valley in St Thomas, Jamaica, she told the students that at times they will feel overwhelmed with all their responsibilities, expectations, and deadlines, and may consider giving up. “If all your activities become more than you can handle physically and mentally, seek out support from your friends and family. Make sure that you build a network of support around you. Sometimes you may need to take a break and recharge but don’t give up. Always remember that where there is a will there is always a way,” said the Morant Bay High School alumna. The club said that the scholarships were made possible through the generous sponsorship of community partners and individuals, such as the Kiwanis Club of Brampton, Peel Regional Police, Jennifer Cave-Williams, Drs Darlene and MatthewWeekes, and Vere Park. The non-profit organisation was established in 1980 to, among other things, raise the profile and consciousness of black and Caribbean communities in the wider society. It also aims to “provide effective and meaningful role models for our youth, encourage greater participation in community and political affairs, provide resources for adaptation and integration of the black and Caribbean cultures into the wider community, and to link with existing community services to provide educational resources”. Caribbean students among 56 given scholarships Small Edwards Some of the scholarship recipients
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