Students of the Anna Regina Secondary School (ARSS), in Region Two, will have the opportunity to attain full scholarships for studies at the University of Guyana (UG) through the recently launched Claudette Caesar Foundation.
The Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation, was launched with the main aim of providing full scholarships to up to two students of the ARSS each year for undergraduate studies at the university.
inaugural recipient of the Claudette Caesar Foundation Scholarship. She was presented with her certificate of recognition by Caesar at the Foundation’s Launch and Family Fun Day last month. (Claudette Caesar Foundation photo)
The inaugural scholarship awardee is Shannia Hoyte, a Grade 11 student who is currently aspiring to become a Biomedical Engineer. She will be reading for a Bachelor of Science Degree at the university from October this year.
Hoyte was chosen from amongst her peers, having met the academic standards and personal criteria set out by the Foundation’s Board.
According to the Foundation’s website, the scholarship programme is intended to benefit students from single parent or low income households as well as students whose lives have been affected by domestic violence.
In order to be eligible, students must have attained and maintained a B grade average throughout their secondary education, commencing from Grade 8. The students must also be of good character, aptitude and attitude to learning.
Eligible students are required to write an independent essay outlining why they should receive the scholarship. Students can apply from Year 8 onwards.
The website states that students will have to maintain at least a 2.8 grade point average during their university studies to continue to receive their scholarship funding. It also says pastoral and other support would be given to students during their university studies.
The Foundation’s objectives also includes supporting the school as well as elderly persons in the region. On the latter front, the Foundation’s website states that it will select 25 elderly persons who will be supported through hampers, gifts and other means on a biennial basis. The prospective recipients must be 65 years or older and come from a low income household.
According to the Foundation’s Trustee and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elwyn Boyle, the Foundation was set up in honour of Claudette Caesar Loncke by her children.
It is supported by a board, which comprises Karen Glasgow, Lalljeet Ruplall, Lavern Lynch, Gary Williams and Rajpattie Inniss. The Foundation’s patron is Vidia Roopchand, an ARSS alumnus and a renowned Pfizer research scientist.
Boyle said that the Foundation has hosted and will be hosting several fundraisers in order to raise money to support its activities. “The support we give to Anna Regina Secondary School, its students and the elderly people on the Essequibo Coast comes from generous donations of money, tangible goods and time. All our Board members are volunteers,” Boyle noted.
Persons desirous of supporting the Foundation can do so through monetary donations to its Republic Bank Guyana account (300000192225), via cheque payable to the Foundation, or gifts and other tangible means that can be delivered to its address at 69 Middle Walk, Henrietta, Essequibo Coast, Guyana. There are also special instructions on the Foundation’s website (www.claudettecaesarfoundation.com) for supporters in the UK and USA desirous of offering support.
