The Life Spring Ministries Upstate New York chapter headed by Pastor Derick Seecharran recently awarded twenty Berbice students scholarships of $20,000 each to assist with their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).
Dravid Seecharran, Coordinator for the Ministries scholarship programme, explained that some three years ago his family began sponsoring the CESEC fees for one student. However, he said after discussions they decided to launch the scholarship programme which will be done annual, in hopes of assisting multiple.
Seecharran shared that his mother was a high school teacher for some 24 years before the family migrated and this would have motivated their decision to support the students in Regions Six and Five.
According to Seecharran, after informing schools of the scholarship they asked that students write a letter explaining how the funds would assist them.
He said they received around 70 applications and 20 fifth-form students were selected from Port Mourant Secondary School, Winifred Gaskin Secondary School, Corentyne Comprehensive High School, and Lower Corentyne High School.
The selected students shared extremely inspirational stories and they have expressed appreciation in follow up letters. The students’ financial situation is not the deciding factor on whether they are granted the scholarship but rather their academic performance.
Teachers also played a role in the application process. And while the family wanted to include JC Chandisingh School, as it is the alma mater of some members, no application was received from that school.
While thanking the donors, Seecharran explained they are looking at expanding the programme and the possibility of extending the scholarship by offering further assistance if the recipients wish to attend the University of Guyana to further their studies. .
The Life Spring Ministries Upstate New York chapter has done a lot of work in Berbice in terms of feeding programs and donations, however, Seecharran stressed that this is their way of assisting in the push of academics within the county.
