NINETEEN outstanding scholars in the 2011 Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) have officially been awarded with scholarships valued approximately $3-million by Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation.

Amongst them were Janvier Marshall and Jeneil Green, the top performing boy and girl islandwide in GSAT this year.

Marshall and Green were both officially awarded by Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation with the 2011 ScotiaFoundation Shining Star Excellence Scholarships. These scholarships are each valued at approximately $1.4-million and will be disbursed in annual instalments, the next seven years.

This duo, alongside the other 17 outstanding GSAT scholars were awarded at the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation Shining Star Scholarship Awards Luncheon, last Wednesday. The luncheon was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

The top three performing students in each county — Dominique Ramsingh from Hosanna Kindergarten & Prep School in Cornwall, Tavoy Palmer from Foundation Prep School in Middlesex and Thant Hoe from Sts Peter & Paul Prep School in Surrey — were each awarded with the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation Shining Star County Scholarships as well.

Their scholarships are valued at approximately $915,000 in total. This amount will be disbursed amongst the trio over the next five years, while they pursue their secondary-level studies.

During the awards ceremony, 14 scholars from inner-city primary schools were also presented scholarships by Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation.

They were: Sean Smith of Allman Town Primary School; Lyssaun Howell of St Jude’s Primary School; Marie McKenzie of Maxfield Park Primary School; Daniel Shaw of Calabar Primary & Junior High School; Deavion Phillips of Holy Rosary Primary School; Raheem Harrison of Balmagie Primary School; Omarley Clarke of North Street Primary School; Rickashae Manderson of Glendevon Primary & Junior High School; Janiel Bruce of Rollington Town Primary School; Mickala Williams of Whitfield All Age School; Jodi-Ann Savage of Seaview Gardens Primary School; Andrew Mullings of Maxfield Park Primary School; Hakeem Pinnock of Allman Town Primary School and Ossani Brooks of Burnt Savannah Primary School.

Each year Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation awards scholarships to students with outstanding performance in the annual GSAT examinations with an emphasis on those who live in inner-city communities.

For the academic year 2011/2012, Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation has committed approximately $12-million in scholarships to approximately 100 scholars, currently in the foundation’s scholarship programme.