NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Second-year University of the West Indies (UWI) student Beyoncé Bedward knows what it is like to need help, and she is grateful that she has received it. She is one of three college students to benefit from the Rotary Club of Negril’s support this year. Bedward received a commitment from Rotarian Dr Gayle Watt that she will be her mentor and a Chromebook laptop.

“It will help me greatly because my mom has it hard and we are going through challenges. The laptop will actually help me in advancing more in my education and giving me the motivation to continue studying harder,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

She received a Rotary scholarship last year and she described what it is like to be on the receiving end of much-needed support.

“At first it was rough because normally I’m a quiet student. I am slowly but surely getting out of my shell and being around the Rotary family is very heart-warming. It makes me happy and it makes me realise that there are persons in life that will help you with whatever it is once you come to them,” said the tourism management and hospitality student.

“I am slowly but surely getting out of my shell and hopefully this September will be a much more enjoyable experience,” she added.

She told other students who may need support to remember there is hope and they should not hesitate to ask for help. Bedward spoke of the importance of being authentic, being empathetic and identifying people around you that you feel comfortable asking for support.

“Just be yourself. Being yourself brings you a very long way. Be kind to others because you don’t know who could be going through whatever it is and they just need a little bit of encouragement. Always remember that you have people… who you can go to for anything and they will help you,” she said.

This year the Rotary Club of Negril gave US$100,000 scholarships to two students. One of them is 18-year-old Kayla Sloley, who recently graduated from Manning’s School in Westmoreland. She will be studying biochemistry at The University of the West Indies in the upcoming school term.

“That scholarship will help me to pursue my degree. I am grateful and thankful for this opportunity and I want to thank whoever helped select me in the process,” Sloley told the Observer.

Past district assistant governor and past president of the Negril Club Elaine Allen Bradley recommended the students. She explained how the scholarship programme started a few years ago.

“Parents were reaching out and saying that their kids were bright and have got a space to go to UWI, but their first year of going to university is very expensive,” she said.

They were already familiar with some of the children as they were part of the Club’s Get Kids to School programme when they were younger.

“We could not just drop them, especially if they are bright,” stated Allen Bradley.

That was how the club’s fund for tertiary education came into being.

Newly installed president Cleopatra Jones Kentish said there will be a renewed emphasis on education and youth employment, community development, club unity and growth through hands-on projects that meet real-life needs.