Report for the Lemuel Henry Scholarship Award and Grants Committee
Academic Year 2009/10, Semester 1.
The Lemuel Henry scholarship (LHS) was founded principally on the initiative and commitment of the Class of 1980 to honor the memory and contributions of Lemuel Henry (1964-2008); an Excelsorian who lived generously and passionately, and who embraced the ideals of our school motto, Age Animo, by living and doing everything with his might.
The Lemuel Henry Scholarship was officially launched on Founders Day, January 18, 2009 and a call for donations and pledges made to friends and family, but especially to his class of 1980. An appeal was made for a group of 25 alumni and friends to commit to a minimum annual pledge of US $40 in order to be able to safely meet the basic yearly target US$1000 in order to support one scholarship award. Sums received in excess of this target would be used to support basic financial grants and a proportion accumulated for the development of the LHS Fund.
Dr. Patricia Northover (r.), Lemuel Henry Scholarship
representative poses with Sherdon Baugh, 2009 LHS scholar.
The selection of the students for the LHS award was organized through the Scholarship and Student Welfare Committee of the local past students’ association, EPSA. The members of this committee were Sandra Barker (chair, EPSA student welfare committee), Michelle Brooks (member of the EPSA student welfare committee), Mrs. Allison Peart (Vice Principal of the school) and Patricia Northover (LHS representative). The committee met in June and considered 13 students but had to exclude 3 due to inadequate information on their application forms.
The methodology for selection was well structured. Each committee member was given a score sheet with specific points for subsections covering: academic performance (25), conduct (25), financial need (20), and extracurricular activities and sports (30), [roughly split 15 + 15]. Both the competition and the need for support were great, but a selection was made on the basis of averaging scores given to each student by each committee member. Two students stood out in this process and it was felt that every effort should be made to support them both. There was also evidence of strong merit for those students who were the runners up.
The two outstanding students were:
(1) Kriss-Ann Walters (92 points out of 100), based upon an outstanding record of extracurricular and sports involvement, plus merit in academic performance and excellence in school conduct.
(2) Sherdon Baugh (91 /100), based upon a stellar academic record. Mr Baugh was overall top student for grades 7, 8 and 9. He is actively involved in extracurricular activities, including the school press, but had no involvement in sports.
The runners up both tying for third, included the Deputy Head Boy, Sean Davis ( 85/100) who demonstrated an exceptional record in extra-curricular activities including being the founding director of the Excelsior Youth Leadership programme, and Dalton Burton (85/100) who possessed a good academic record averaging in the 70's, and was also involved in extra- curricular activities, namely, being a school prefect and a basket ball player.
Other students, all of whom scored maximum points for academic performance, and also deserving of special mention are:
Olicia Sylvester (84/100) who had an academic average in the 80's and who participates in school volleyball and Key Club.
Monique Dawkins (84/100), member of the school’s debate team, student council, acting sub-prefect.
Omar Wright (74/100), member of 4H, Key club and school prefect
Travis Daley (78/100), achieved an average of 95 % for integrated sciences,
Based on the desire to support the two top students, an appeal was launched to try and collect US $2000 and this goal was achieved. This appeal was superbly coordinated by Novlette Fellows (class of 1980), and supported by myself, and was highly successful. The receipt of funds from alumni and friends overseas (US and UK) was coordinated by the New York Chapter of the Excelsior Alumni Association, which also generously contributed to the Fund. The support of the EAA has been invaluable to the success of this project in its launch, and is essential for its successful continuation.
The organizers of this scholarship are deeply grateful for the Association’s warm embrace of this project. This support was concretely coordinated by their Treasurer, Ms. Pauline Tate, for whom special thanks are richly deserved. The channeling of funds for the scholarship was also well supported by the Public Relations officer of the EAA, Mr. Duane Coombs, who posted details for the scholarship and the activities taken in support of its launch on the Association’s website. Mr. Coombs was a key link in the chain in cementing the relationship between Excelsorians, at home and away, who were committed to this venture.
Other key persons enabling the success of this project are Mr. Evan Thompson, who worked from the inception of the idea to make the vision a reality by lending his leadership, spiritual wisdom and creative abilities to this endeavour; Ms. Sandra Barker, who spearheaded the organization of the selection of the students, and who along with Mr.Peter Moncrieffe, (treasurer EPSA) addressed the administration of the scholarship funds; and Mrs. Allison Peart, who was constant in her encouragement for this small act of assistance and in her urging that we broaden the net as far as possible to reach the real needs of the students in the school.
Letters offering the scholarship award to both candidates were sent, but only Mr. Baugh was able to accept the scholarship award as regrettably Ms. Kris-Ann Walters, transferred to another school.
The 2009 Lemuel Henry scholar was thus announced as Mr. Sherdon Baugh. He received his scholarship in September, 2009 and has proved to be an excellent choice for this award based on his record of achievement in grade 10, for the academic year 2008-9. These awards included the Modern Language Dept award for Spanish and French, the Teachers of English Award for excellence in English language and literature, and the PTA award for academic excellence in grade 10.
The Scholarship and Student Welfare Committee met again on November, 20th 2009 to decide on aid grants from the LHS fund to students based on financial need and academic merit. The following students were successful in receiving such grants.
Miss Sherika Kidd
The grant is to the value of US$200 (J$17620) and will cover outstanding school fees for the years 2008 – 2010.
Miss Shantal Pellington
The grant is to the value of US$150 (J$13,565) and will facilitate her impending trip to Barbados to accept a regional award for the best short story in the Caribbean CXC-CSEC exams. It will cover uniforms and blazers for the occasion as well as include assistance with travel subsidy while on the trip.
Mr. Sean Davis
The grant is to the value of US$150 (J$13,565) and will cover financial subsistence.
Sean Davis was also recognized by the school as “The most outstanding school citizen” and received the Sir John Carberry Prize for Outstanding helpfulness to others (2008-9).
This scholarship project has thus been tremendously successful in its first year in not just recognizing distinction in the student community at Excelsior, but it has also made a small contribution toward the urgent needs for material help to students at a time of great distress locally and internationally. For the Class of 1980, the Excelsior Alumni Association in New York, special helpers, family and friends who have all worked to make this project come to life and become a tangible source of support for these students a thousand thanks, for your contribution and commitment to making a difference in honor of the spirit of a great Excelsorian, Lemuel Henry. Please continue to make the difference with your pledges of support.
Age Animo!
Dr. Patricia Northover:
Representative for
the Lemuel Henry Scholarship Fund,
December 10, 2009.
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