KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica sprint superstar, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s Pocket Rocket Foundation, has awarded five student-athletes from schools across Jamaica with full annual scholarships to cover tuition, uniforms, books and other school supplies. 

The recipients are St Jago High’s, Tafada Wright; Manchester High’s, Kimesha Beckford; Holmwood Technical’s Anecia Taylor; St Andrew High’s Olivia Peterkin, and Wolmer’s Boys’, Malachi King. 

According to the Foundation, the latest recipients bring to 55 the number of students who have benefitted from academic scholarships from the Pocket Rocket Foundation since its inception in 2012.

The handing over ceremony was held at the Wolmer’s School for Girls on Friday. 

Each second to fifth form student received a cheque for $50,000 with sixth form students receiving $60,000. The students also received grocery baskets from Fraser-Pryce’s long-time sponsor, GraceKennedy Limited.

The students also received Sangster’s Book Store and Hi-Lo Supermarket vouchers, each valued at $10,000, and call credit courtesy of Digicel Jamaica. 

While addressing the event, Fraser-Pryce said the mandate of the Foundation has always been to financially support Jamaican student-athletes through their high school education. 

Fraser-Pryce said she had the good fortune of being supported through her high school years by a very kind woman named Jeanne Coke, of the Wolmer’s Old Girls’ Association, and she wanted to pass that torch on to current and upcoming student-athletes.

She added that the challenges of the past two years have made it quite difficult but the Pocket Rocket team remains committed to the work of the Foundation and the impact they hope to have. 

The multiple World and Olympic Champion went on to thank organisations and individuals, in particular her sponsors, who she commented have continued to support the Foundation to ensure that it can continue to support the youth.

“I am extremely excited at the Foundation’s ability to not only fulfil the agenda outlined in our mandate but increase the offerings for 2022. I thank Digicel for the additional tokens of book vouchers and Hi-Lo Supermarket vouchers for the recipients given the reality of the cost of living and food prices, this gesture goes a really long way for the families of these students,” Fraser-Pryce said.

In a statement, the Pocket Rocket Foundation noted that the scholarship award came on the heels of a hugely successful Pocket Rocket Foundation fundraising event held in Miramar, Florida on November 16, hosted by the Commissioner of Miramar, Alexandra P Davis. 

In addition to raising funds for the Foundation through an auction, Fraser-Pryce received the key to the City of Miramar from the Mayor of Miramar, Wayne Messam, and a second key from Commissioner Dale VC Holness from the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. 

Jamaica’s Consular General in Miami, Oliver Mair, also presented Fraser-Pryce with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The event also saw November 16 being declared as the Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Day, by City Commissioner, Davis.