By Lincoln DePradine
Working onerous, persevering, having religion, and holding the proper buddies have been among the many recommendation given to a gaggle of younger folks now pursuing faculty and college schooling.0
“Examine your crowd, your folks, your circle. Don’t comply with your folks that aren’t going to steer you in the proper course,” cautioned CityTV’s Camille Wilson, who was talking on the not too long ago held 2024 Scholarship and Bursary presentation of the Council of Caribbean Associations-Canada (CCAC).
CCAC, a registered non-profit umbrella group comprising 14 Caribbean nationwide associations within the Larger Toronto Space, launched its Scholarship and Bursary program in 2012.
In this system’s inaugural yr, two college students acquired $1,000 every.
Within the final couple of years, Seneca Polytechnic and George Brown Faculty (GBC) have collaborated with CCAC to help with this system.
Seneca, in 2023, introduced a suggestion of a full tuition-paid four-year scholarship. The coed, chosen by means of the CCAC’s Scholarship and Bursary Program, receives as much as $6,000 per yr whereas finding out at Seneca Polytechnic.
This yr, George Brown stepped in with an analogous full-tuition paid scholarship. It, too, is valued at $6,000 yearly for as much as 4 years.
Avion Primus was the CCAC’s winner of the inaugural George Brown Faculty Scholarship.
She’s finishing a four-year bachelor’s diploma in culinary administration at GBC.
“I’ve at all times been keen about service, significantly within the culinary and hospitality industries,” stated Grenada-born Primus. “My aim is to graduate with excellence and develop into a Grasp Chef, making my household proud.”
The 2024 Seneca scholarship was awarded to Donalan Doyle. A Seneca scholar, and a member of the varsity’s Caribbean Membership, Doyle’s aspiration is to be an airline pilot.
Bursaries have been awarded to Jhalaina Stephenson, one other Seneca Polytechnic scholar; Centennial Faculty’s Jovanni McDonald; Jaida Ferguson and Ama Kelsy of Toronto Metropolitan College (TMU); and Queen’s College scholar Gabrielle Williams.
Williams, who’s enrolled within the college’s medical faculty applications, needs to develop into a doctor.
Ferguson, newly enrolled in TMU, is within the hospitality and tourism enterprise diploma program.
Kelsy, who’s now engaged on publishing a novel, is finishing a Grasp’s diploma in English, and in addition is a educating assistant at TMU.
McDonald, a freshman at Centennial, is finding out for a diploma in mechanical engineering; whereas Stephenson, who’s contemplating educating as a profession, is a scholar in Seneca’s Early Childhood Training program.
CCAC’s secretary Ingrid King congratulated the awardees, saying they “all deserve an enormous spherical of applause”.
King additionally expressed CCAC’s “heartfelt thanks” to Seneca Polytechnic and George Brown Faculty “for having the imaginative and prescient and foresight to collaborate with CCAC to supply a full scholarship to Caribbean college students. To not be outdone, we wish to thank Arbor Memorial and Bedessee Imports for his or her ongoing contributions to their respective bursaries. Thanks for remaining dedicated to us”.
Keynote speaker Wilson, who has the title of “Hype Viewers Host” of the Cityline program on TV, urged the scholars to “hold pushing ahead” to attain their objectives.
“You’re going to fall however so long as you get again up and hold going, that’s the aim and that’s the mission,” she stated. “You’ll have tough days however hold going.”
Wilson, in motivating the younger folks, drew on her personal life experiences, mentioning that she didn’t have a “straight journey”.
“I would like you to know, and imagine, that regardless that the journey is probably not straight as you count on it to be, simply know to have religion and imagine that every thing will likely be okay and also you’ll arrive at your vacation spot on time,” stated Wilson.
“You are able to do something that you just put your thoughts to. All the time keep in mind that and apply it to your life. Don’t let anyone inform you which you could’t do one thing or be one thing. Be sure to’re surrounded by the folks that will help you, elevate you; folks that will encourage you.” LJI reporter
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