THE remarkable story of Anushca Hurst displays the transformative power of community support and education. With the NRJ Foundation’s help, she is pursuing her dreams, leaving an indelible mark and paving the path for other individuals to follow in her footsteps.

This 18-year-old scholar from Spanish Town, Jamaica, has indeed defied the odds to achieve academic excellence.

Born and raised in Cromarty Groove, Hurst attended Jonathan Grant High where she did extremely well in the sciences, particularly chemistry. Her passion for understanding the processes behind everyday phenomena and her sense of curiosity drove her to pursue a chemistry degree at The University of the West Indies.

However, financial constraints threatened to derail her dreams. In particular, transportation to and from school was costly, and equipping herself with the required resources such as books, food, lab coats and other necessary equipment also proved to be expensive. At the same time, her dad Christopher, who is a retired police officer, and her mother, Angela, an entrepreneur, struggled to make ends meet.

Because of this, Hurst started applying for scholarships and in the summer this year, she got the call that she would be one of two inaugural recipients of the NRJ Foundation scholarship for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. The scholarship is valued at $500,000 each year for three years.

“It feels great. It feels amazing that I am a recipient of this award, and it will help me financially; it will alleviate the burden on my parents and me, so I am absolutely grateful for this opportunity and it means so much to me,” Hurst shared.

With 20 subject passes, including 10 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and 10 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination subjects, with outstanding grades in chemistry, Hurst’s academic achievements are impressive. Her dedication inspires others and she aims to give back to her community by educating students about chemistry.

She emphasised how important it is for her to give back to her community and help other students when she earns her chemistry degree, sharing that it has always seemed like a challenging subject to most individuals. She aims to return to her high school to share her knowledge and experience.

Her own mentors, Sir Shawn Henry and Dr O’neil Ankle who are educators at her alma mater, contributed significantly to her success. When asked what advice she had for others pursuing their academic goals, she shared an advice that was given to her, saying, “Never settle for less, and aim for the highest standard.”