GRAY’S INN, St Mary — Eighteen-year-old first-year student at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) Vanessa Martin is the St Mary Young Farmer 2023. Among her prizes was a $100,000 scholarship from the Sandals Foundation.

Martin, whose studies focus on plant science, was awarded her prize from Sandals during the St Mary Agricultural show held on Easter Monday, April 10.

The elated Bachelor of Science student said she plans to put the money towards her tuition.

“Although our college provides three meals per day, the financial burden is there. This award means a lot to me, coming from a poor background,” Martin told the Jamaica Observer.

She is from Carron Hall in the parish.

She has been actively involved in 4H clubs both at the Highgate Primary and Carron Hall High school, and it is a tradition she has continued while at CASE.

She hopes to pursue a career in agronomy or environmentalism and believes the knowledge gained from being a part of 4H is immeasurable.

This is the first year that the Sandals Foundation is awarding a scholarship to the Jamaica 4H Club. It was done through the foundation’s environment programme.