Discovery Bauxite salutes PEP excellence
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Award recipients pause for a group photograph during Discovery Bauxite’s annual PEP scholarship awards ceremony.
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Nisia Tracey, of Runaway Bay Primary School, is overcome with emotion and comforted by her grandmother after learning that she was named top girl performer in the Discovery Bauxite zone of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.
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Top boy performer Michael-Josh Richards, of Servite Primary School, accepts his award from Raymon Treasure, principal of York Castle High School.
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Guest speaker Dr Daren Johnson presents Shanoya Baker of Bob Marley Primary School with her award.
Thursday, August 13 was a red-letter day for 70 students who excelled in the recent Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations, as they were presented with scholarships by Discovery Bauxite, which continues its annual support of education.
The 70 students were the top-performing boy and girl from each of the 35 primary schools in the company’s mining areas in St Ann North West.
Each top boy and girl received a certificate of merit and $25,000 to assist with their transition to secondary school in September.
A further $100,000 annually has been awarded to the overall top boy and top girl for the duration of their high-school tenure.
The two students, who will both attend York Castle High School in September, are Nisia Tracey of Runaway Bay Primary School and Michael-Josh Richards of Servite Primary School in Brown’s Town.
A special prize for the highest overall score in a single subject went to Shanoya Baker of Bob Marley Primary School, who scored 356 in language arts.
The annual Special Award for a principal was presented to Claudine Bartley of Alva Primary School. A former student of the institution, Bartley was recognised for her school’s consistently strong performances in exit examinations and academic achievement.
The large audience had much to applaud as Runaway Bay Primary School was commended for its improved PEP results, while former student awardees Abrianna Greaves and Stasha Marston shared their educational journeys with the students.
A delighted Nordia Tracey, human resource manager at the bauxite company, described the event as a “family gathering” as she witnessed the camaraderie among attendees.
Parents, teachers, students, bauxite employees and well-wishers from schools in communities such as Nine Miles, Watt Town, Murray Mountain, Alva, Aboukir and Grants Mountain joined their counterparts from Runaway Bay, Discovery Bay, Keith, Brown’s Town and Waltham Abbey.
Tracey added that the occasion demonstrated the high level of interest in education across the communities served by the company.
Meanwhile, guest speaker Dr Daren Johnson, senior adviser and consultant in the Ministry of Health, revealed that he is a proud beneficiary of the bauxite company’s educational outreach, having received an award at a similar function in 2009.
Johnson thanked the company for showing confidence in him from his primary school days at Lower Buxton Primary School, and credited his success to the mentoring, scholarship grants and encouragement he has received throughout his academic and professional journey.
He also commended the company for its other educational assistance programmes, including the annual provision of 60 bursaries for community students entering tertiary institutions in their first year, a continuing full-scholarship programme for university students, and a summer internship programme.
Principal of York Castle High School, Raymon Treasure, closed the event with words of encouragement to the students.
Festival gold medallists, the Quadrille Hill and Gully Dance Group from Runaway Bay, provided entertainment.