THIRTY students, representing all levels of the education system, will start the new school term with a major boost having received a portion of a scholarship package valued at over $3.5 million from Wisynco.

“I am so grateful to Wisynco and Hawaiian Punch as winning this cash prize enabled me to pay my school fees,” said Kerena Dare, a third-year student

at Excelsior Community College. “I started school not knowing where the fees would come from, and the news of this award came at just the right time.”

Dare is one of five tertiary level students earning a cash award of $200,000 each. Other students from HEART, St Josephs Teachers

College and Northern Caribbean University received scholarships.

Ten primary school students and 10 at the CAPE or CSEC level each received $100,000. Among these recipients are Jevaune Smith, a Grade six student at Mannings Hill Primary who earned $400,000 and Phoebe Russell of Ascot Primary who was awarded $200,000.

Romain Johnson of Central High School topped the CAPE/CSEC category with $200,000.

Kitanya Kennedy of Morant Bay High School thanked Wisynco on behalf of the winners.

“Winning this award is a great relief for me and my family as it will help to pay for my education,” said the first-form student. “I will be saving most of this money and using some to buy a tablet (computer) to help me with my studies.”

“We recognise the challenges that families face in covering the costs of education for their children, and are pleased that through our brand Hawaiian Punch we are able to provide the well-needed assistance,” said Rochelle Bartley, Brand Marketing Assistant at Wisynco.

“All these students are so deserving in many different ways. From young chess player Enrique Murray of St Judes Primary, to Shavon Benjamin of St Josephs Teachers College who will soon join the ranks of the amazing teachers who are molding the minds of young Jamaicans.”

Thirty students from various primary and high schools, and tertiary institutions received awards in the annual Hawaiian Punch Back to School Scholarship promotion. In addition to the cash, winners received prizes of tablets, book vouchers and products.