Anthony Alexander and Renee Nesbeth are two lucky Jamaican students who will this year attend the 2006 North American Youth Science Leadership Institute (YSLI) in Bartow, West Virginia and Washington DC.

Seventeen-year-old Alexander is a student of Ardenne High School, while Nesbeth is a 16 year old currently enrolled in Campion College. Alexander received eight 'ones' in his

Anthony Alexander (left), US Ambassador Brenda LeGrange Johnson (centre) and Renee Nesbeth are all smiles after the presentations held last Wednesday.

CXC exams last year and was awarded most outstanding student in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Food and Nutrition. His fellow recipient holds seven 'ones' and a 'two' in Chemistry. She also participated in the People to People Future Leaders Medical programme at Johns Hopkins University.

Some schools were asked to select the best candidate for the YSLI. They also had to do an interview, write an essay and present a resume. Out of those preliminaries Alexander and Nesbeth were chosen to represent Jamaica.

With the YSLI the candidates are given lectures from guest scientists, they go on outdoor trips and go to science seminars which are facilitated by guest scientists or staff members.

They are also given free time to do athletic and recreational activities.
"I feel really good and I think it's my opportunity to represent Jamaica and the youths of the country," Alexander told TEENage at the scholarship presentations last week.

"It's a meeting of the best minds and I want to become a surgeon in the future so this opportunity will help".
His mother also expressed excitement about her son being chosen.

"I always encouraged him to do his best. He was always interested in science; at one point I discouraged him in pursuing it because of financial difficulties but it was what he wanted so I left him."
Like Alexander, Nesbeth told TEENage that she is honoured to represent her country.

"It will help me to hone new skills," she said, adding that she hopes to learn different cultures and meet new friends while at the camp. The lectures, she believes, will help her to learn more about science and will give her the much-needed exposure.

"I hope to pursue a career in Forensic Pathology" Nesbeth said. Her mother hopes that her love for science might materialise into a scholarship someday.

"I never pushed her to do science although she has loved science ever since prep school. I'm hoping that this opportunity will benefit her for university," she said.
The 2006 Youth Science Leadership Institute runs from July 11 to 26.

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