JWN Foundation applauds excellence

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD Torriann Haye, a former student of Siloah Primary School in St Elizabeth, is an excited JWN Foundation scholarship recipient. A top performer for her school in the recent Primary Exit Profile, Haye is attending the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and is beyond grateful for the support she has received from the foundation.

“I feel very proud of myself. I studied a lot, and I am happy about my achievements. I chose STETHS because all my siblings attended the institution. I am the fifth child from my family to attend the school, and I will follow them in being on the honour roll,” said Haye, who is desirous of becoming a biochemist.

Principal of the Siloah Primary School, Oneil Larmond, said Haye qualified for the JWN Foundation Scholarship programme because of her overall outstanding performances.

“We entered 94 students for the Primary Exit Profile, and Haye was the second top performer of the cohort. We are proud of her, and we also appreciate the JWN Foundation’s investment in her education. It means a lot to the community as the foundation not only invests in scholarships, but the overall infrastructure of the community,” Larmond said.

JWN Foundation scholars from the parishes of St Elizabeth, Clarendon, and Kingston were recently recognised for their outstanding scholastic performances and celebrated with a movie day and awards at the Sunshine Palace in Portmore, setting the pace for their anticipated return to the classroom.

Curtis Castle of Denbigh High School in Clarendon received the JWN Foundation Scholarship for the fifth consecutive year. With an 87 per cent overall average heading into upper sixth form, Castle wants to study computer science with dreams of becoming a software engineer.

“I feel amazing. The scholarship has helped me a lot. I have been able to focus on my academics and excel. Going forward, I would like to improve my grades, and I will not have to worry about fees,” Castle said.

His former teacher, Carlene Anderson from the Gimme-Me-Bit Primary and Infant School, was elated for Castle’s continued success. “I am so happy that when I think of it goose bumps come on my skin. I have seen him grow, and I know that he will continue to do his best,” Anderson said.

The JWN Foundation, established in 2012, is J. Wray & Nephew Limited’s vehicle for giving back to the wider society. We actively play our part in transforming lives and communities for a better Jamaica through the JWN Foundation and focus on developing the areas surrounding J. Wray & Nephew’s operations at Spanish Town Road in Kingston, New Yarmouth in Clarendon, and Appleton Estate in St Elizabeth.

Rhaveen Kildare, keynote speaker, former JWN Foundation Tertiary Scholar and 2025 Festival Queen second runner-up, encouraged the recipients to persevere, work together, and share their light to make the world a better place.

“Your hard work will pay off. An investment in your future is the best as you trust your abilities to be the best you can be. The best is yet to come. Trust God and He will provide the resources that you need. Just show up! We are all here to positively impact each other,” Kildare said.

Garfene Grandison, general manager at the JWN Foundation, said they believe that education is not just about acquiring knowledge. It is about unlocking potential, breaking barriers, and creating pathways to dreams that might otherwise seem impossible.

“Each scholarship recipient here today has demonstrated not only academic excellence but also the character, determination, and vision that align with our foundation’s core values. You have shown us that when opportunity meets preparation, extraordinary things happen. You are proof that investing in education means investing in tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and changemakers,” Grandison said.

The JWN Foundation operates under three main pillars, including social inclusion, education, and cultural expressions. Through education, the JWN Foundation provides scholarships for tertiary- and secondary-level students.

Daniel Caron, director of the JWN Foundation, said the “foundation does not just provide financial support but an investment in the students’ stories, their aspirations, and their power to transform communities.

“This may seem small, but to the recipients, it’s recognition, it is the reward that gives them confidence and shows them that they are important to us,” Caron said.