MANDEVILLE, Manchester — After applying to 12 universities in the USA and being accepted to seven, 18-year-old Paul Snider narrowed his choices to the alma mater of both of his parents.

The Belair High School upper sixth former heads to Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in August, on a scholarship of just over US$59,000 annually for a four-year bachelor of science degree programme.

The scholarship which includes a “built-in” work study programme covers his tuition, room and board and office fees.

Paul plans to complete a degree in Biology or Biometics, which refers to human-made processes, substances, devices, or systems that imitate nature.

The son of American missionaries, who have been living in Jamaica for the past 27 years, he has also considered the specialised options of Environmental or Marine Biology as a way of making him more marketable in the Jamaican job market.

Paul and his three siblings were born in Jamaica and says he would like to return after his studies.

For his future career goal he said “I do not want to be penned up in a laboratory all day. My dream job would be writing for National Geographic (magazine).”

Paul, who was home-schooled prior to attending Belair High, has six distinctions and two credits at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) level. He started his advanced level subjects at fifth form, where he passed Pure Math.

He now has five distinctions at the CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) Unit One level and is presently doing three subjects at the CAPE Unit Two level.

Dr Dennis Minott, head of the A-QuEST organisation that assists many Jamaican students every year to gain access to “highly” competitive colleges and universities primarily in the United States of America; describes the scholarship offering from Vanderbilt as “excellent.”

“Vanderbilt is a highly selective school. He got an excellent deal,” Minott told the Jamaica Observer.

“Just bringing together students who all want to do well makes you as an individual want to do better,” Paul said of Minott’s A-QuEST programme.

However, apart from the support of A-QuEST, his family and his school, Paul’s own motivation was noted as a contributing factor for his achievements.

“Paul is a most exemplary fellow. He did everything he was supposed to do and more. He is a very inspiring fellow. He got behind the other students,” Minott said.

Jerome King, vice principal of Belair High made a similar observation. “No one is afraid to go to him. He is very down to earth. He is very active in the school, since first form. He tries everything and that’s a key character (trait) that most people don’t have. Whatever he does he does it to the utmost,” King said.

Paul is currently the head boy at Belair High School, the president of the Inter-School Christian Fellowship (ISCF) for the past two years, a peer counsellor and is “instrumental” in the science club.

He has a “big interest in music” and plays the guitar in his school band, at the Moorelands Christian Camp in Mandeville and at the church where he worships.

“I don’t stress out too much over many things. I love to enjoy myself with friends and family just spending time together,” Paul told the Observer.

“I take advantage of some of the best things here at Belair. (The relatively small) size of the classes. Outside of class you have the opportunity to speak to teachers. We don’t just learn the information but we are able to express and apply the knowledge. A large amount of my studying I will do at home but if anyone has any problems we will study together,” he added.

At Vanderbilt he plans to join the Caribbean Students Association, Christian organisations and any musical ensemble on campus.

“I am looking forward to being in my rocking chair and hearing about him. He is going to be a fantastic person,” said June McCatty, Principal/Director at Belair High.