[dropcap]T[/dropcap]wenty-nine children of parents employed with the St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) are members of the company’s Scholarship Programme. This year, four students also received one-time bursaries.
Five new entrants were welcomed to the programme at the 13th annual LUCELEC Scholarship Social this year and top performers Chelsea Branford, Abbie Pultie and Tammy Pultie were recognised for their achievements in the previous academic year.
Open to children of employees who are successful at the Common Entrance examinations, the LUCELEC Scholarship Programme began in 1985. The now 33-year-old programme pays for all school fees, uniforms, schoolbooks, school bags, notebooks, and Caribbean Examination Council fees throughout secondary school and the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College tuition.
Chairperson of the LUCELEC Scholarship Committee, Assistant Human Resource Manager Tandi Flood, said the company expects all of its scholarship holders to succeed. “When you meet the inevitable challenges that school and life have to throw your way, remember this moment, what brought you here because it is those same qualities and characteristics that will get you through anything. In this academic year 2018-2019 we are confident that our students will excel, excel, excel,” she said.
To maintain the scholarship each student must achieve a minimum 65% grade in each subject and an overall average of 70%.
LUCELEC Managing Director, Trevor Louisy, encouraged students to put in the necessary effort to remain part of the scholarship programme. “It’s important that you make these sacrifices. That you manage your time properly and if you are consistent at doing that and you do it throughout the term I can guarantee you, you are going to be successful,” he said.
Visual artist and animator Ted Sandiford was the featured speaker at this year’s event. A teacher at the St Mary’s College, Mr Sandiford is the also the Managing Director of A.C.I.D. Kreationz. He challenged students to go beyond the expectations of the programme telling them, “If you do what is easy, your life will be hard.”
He also had a special message for the parents of the scholars: “Parents, you have a role to play as well. You have a very important role. Encourage your children. Encourage them to be a better version of themselves. Sit and study with them. You will be surprised how much you will learn from them. They need your support now more than ever. They need that extra push when things get rough. They need your reassuring words when they get discouraged. They need to hear your applause when they do well. The successes achieved at the end is not only theirs, it’s yours.”
The scholarship social was held at the LUCELEC Power Station in Cul-de-Sac under the theme, “Limitless Possibilities to Achieving Success”.
