A male and female student athlete in high schools who have managed to excel both in their academics and sports will be recognised for their accomplishments at the prestigious ceremony of the annual Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence.

The ceremony will be held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Thursday, October 13.

The Award for Excellence, being administered by the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund (CHASE), has already recognised six outstanding students since its establishment in 2013. They are Mark Parchment of Munroe College and Janell Dalberry of St Jago High School in 2013; Natalliah Whyte of St Jago High School and Jaheel Hyde of Wolmer’s Boys’ School in 2014; and Junelle Bromfield of St Elizabeth Technical High School and Javauni Garwood of Wolmer’s Boys’ School in 2015.

Schools at the secondary level are asked to nominate students (male and female) who meet the criteria for selection for having displayed exceptional qualities in their academic performance, and for demonstrating team commitment and good tenets of fair play while representing their schools in sports.

The students nominated must be Jamaican nationals and currently in grades 10 to 13. All nominations must be submitted by the principal of the secondary institution and should include a report explaining why the student is being nominated for the award.

The Student Excellence Award carries a handsome package which includes $250,000 from Supreme Ventures Limited towards the development of a specific school project, one year’s Internet service, and a computer tablet from the Supreme Ventures Foundation.

The Courtney Walsh Award, which is in its 12th year, was conceptualised by former Prime Minister P J Patterson, an avid cricket follower, who was prompted to establish the award to celebrate excellence in sports, having observed the exemplary qualities demonstrated by Ambassador Courtney Walsh throughout his illustrious international career.