For the second year in a row Barita Foundation has awarded successful applicants scholarships and bursaries towards their 2023/2024 academic studies.

On Friday, the Caribbean Military Academy, Jamaica Defence Force, Up Park Camp, was a buzz of excitement as students, their families, and members of the Paul Simpson-led Cornerstone/Barita team gathered to celebrate and recognise the 2023/2024 cohort of Barita Foundation Scholars.

Sharing in the morning’s programme were Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams, along with the ministry’s Deputy CEO Dr Clover Hamilton-Flowers, while Dr Dana Morris-Dixon, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister represented Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Also in attendance were the shadow education minister, Opposition Senator Damion Crawford and guest speaker, youth advocate Chad Rattray.

This year’s awardees hail from across Jamaica and received scholarships from the high school to tertiary levels. From the 44 students recognised on the day, 34 received full scholarships and another 10 received special bursaries towards their tuition and examination expenses.

The scholarships awarded were:

(1) The Premier Rita Humphries Lewin Scholarship in Early Childhood Education established in honour of well-respected Barita Investments founder Rita Humphries Lewin and valued at up to $400,000.

(2) The Cornerstone/Barita Tertiary Scholarship valued at up to $350,000.

(3) The Cornerstone/Barita Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Scholarship valued at up to $100,000.

(4) Cornerstone/Barita Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Scholarship valued at up to $100,000.

Through the foundation’s annual scholarship programme, an investment to date of approximately $7 million has been made in helping students fulfil their academic goals. This forms a huge part of the foundation’s efforts in the area of education and youth development.

In addition to financial literacy sessions, the foundation team has been working with traditional and alternative educational institutions in building capacity through sponsorships and donations.

In his opening remarks, foundation chairman and Cornerstone Chief Operating Officer (COO) Gavin Jordan shared some of the recent work being done by the team. He spoke of the “over $10 million donated to charitable causes over the last year as well as activities aimed at improving access to comfortable shelter, such as Food for the Poor’s ‘Not Just a Home, A Shelter with Purpose’ programme.”

Some activities, he shared, are also geared at addressing food security, “especially among students”. Notably, a further commitment has been made to contribute $500,000 under the GK Campus Connect Food Bank towards a wider drive aimed at addressing food insecurity on our tertiary campuses.

The chairman also signalled Cornerstone’s move to include environment, social, and governance considerations as a focused part of their strategic outlook. Recent collaborations with Government and non-governmental organisations, such as the as Forestry Department’s National Tree Planting competition and the Nature Preservation Foundation’s Royal Botanical Gardens (Hope Gardens) 150th Anniversary Essay, Photo and Poster Competition formed part of the foundation’s outreach.

Deputy chairman of Barita Investments Paul Simpson congratulated awardees whilst encouraging them to stay focused and not be distracted from their goals.

The awardees were charged by guest speaker Rattray to make use of the investment in their education, dream big, plan wisely, and execute effectively.