JOHNATHAN Grant High School past student Shantel Wilks is on a mission to create a love affair between Jamaican students and the French language. The 18-year-old aspiring teacher said her unwavering love for the language was ignited at age 14.

“The second I heard my grade eight teacher speaking the language I was sold,” said Wilks, who is now studying at Shortwood Teachers’ College.

Her decision to pursue a career in French education has not gone down well with many of her friends who have said she is crazy to be studying a language other than English. But Wilks is perhaps vindicated by a US$6,000 scholarship she has won from the Jamaican Infrastructure Operator (JIO), operators of Highway 2000 East-West

The scholarship, which will be paid in annual tranches for four years, was first announced in June, when JIO indicated an interest in financing tertiary French studies for one student from a high school in the vicinity of the highway. The qualifying schools included Old Harbour, Glenmuir, Jonathan Grant, and Bridgeport high.

Of the four applicants, Wilks won the hearts of the scholarship committee with an essay titled ‘Why I am motivated to study French’.

Part of the commitment is to maintain a minimum of a 3.0 Grade Point Average and to study French as the major language. Breaching the contract in any way will incur a refund of the full value of the award.

Wilks isn’t dissuaded by the terms, rather, she is even more motivated to succeed.

Her parents, Tamara and Lukeroy Wilks, told the Jamaica Observer that they understand the potential penalties but say they remain confident that Shantel will do well.

“I know if she slips up it would be a lot of money to pay back, but the Shantel I know will work hard to ensure that this doesn’t happen,” her mother said.

Her father, the more reserved of the two, thanked JIO for providing the well-needed assistance to his family. The freelance welder said that it is sometimes very difficult to secure jobs and it has been a challenge for him to care for his family the way that he wants to, not that it has never stopped him from trying.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of JIO Thomas Lamothe said his company has always wanted to assist students.

“We wanted to have a strong relationship with the communities in which we work and this project is within the scope of this. This opportunity also allows us to re-establish our long-time partnership and relationship with Shortwood Teachers’ College and we are grateful they we were able to achieve this,” he explained.

Lamothe said that not only will JIO be providing assistance to Wilks, but he is already in dialogue with the head of the Modern Languages Department Rusheyne Ferguson for the company to hold discussions with students who are pursuing French.

Lamothe said there is no immediate plan to fund another student next year but the company is always willing to explore opportunities to assist.