UWC names 2017 Caymanian scholars
(L-R) UWC scholars for 2017 Courtney Thomas, Elijah Samson and Tiana Marley McCoy
(CNS Local Life): The United World Colleges (UWC) global educational movement has accepted three more Caymanian students to begin programmes in the upcoming school year. Courtney Thomas, Elijah Samson and Tiana Marley McCoy join current Caymanian scholars Ayanda Jones (UWC – Red Cross Nordic, Norway ’18), Julian Menkó (UWC – US ’18) and Chanelle Scott (UWC – Li Po Chun, Hong Kong ’18), who are each completing their first year. Zoe Conolly Basdeo is also attending the International School of Asia, Karuizawa, Japan, which became a UWC college in October 2016 and will receive the first intake of national committee students in August.
Courtney will be the first local student to attend UWC Maastricht in the Netherlands, stated UWC. This year she will graduate from John Gray High School with high honours, having earned high marks in her 10 CXC examinations and three additional subjects with the WJEC, AQA and BTEC boards. At John Gray, Courtney was a peer mentor and prefect. Currently completing year 12 at St Ignatius Catholic School, she has continued as a prefect and used her passion for fundraising to engage the student body in community drives that helped bring critical aid to Haiti after Hurricane Matthew, Christmas presents to families in need, and funds to a fellow student battling cancer. She has also been a member of the Key Club for three years and regularly volunteers with the Cayman Islands Red Cross and the Cayman Islands Humane Society.
Elijah will attend Li Po Chun UWC in Hong Kong after completing his ‘O’ level examinations at St Ignatius Catholic School, where he is an honours student. With a keen interest in international affairs and business, Elijah hopes to study law and French at university. Taking his education beyond the classroom, he is a member of Model United Nations, Key Club, Junior Achievement, Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme and Mentor Cayman. Elijah is also a Brown Belt First Kyu in karate and a member of his Debate Club, which led him to recently be awarded best overall debate team in the Conyers Inter-Schools Debate Tournament. At St Ignatius, Elijah is also chair of the Student Council, participates in the concert band and choir, and has reached Trinity Examination Grade 2 in musical theory.
Tiana will attend Pearson College UWC in Victoria, British Columbia. She is in her final year at Cayman Prep and High School and is a high-achieving, active student who serves as a junior prefect, volunteers at the NCVO’s Miss Nadine’s Preschool, and participates in Model United Nations. She is also physically active, completing the Bronze Award in the Duke of Edinburgh programme, earning her PADI certification, playing squash as a member of the South Sound Squash Club, and jogging and paddle boarding in her spare time. In August 2015, Tiana participated in the UWC Cayman Islands short programme on sustainability and she is interested in pursuing career opportunities where she could advise businesses and their employees on resource conservation and how to be more environmentally friendly.
This year’s scholars were selected from a very competitive group of applicants, and the foundation is awarding them significant scholarship funding offered by the colleges. The selection committee, which was led by vice chairperson Ridhiima Kapoor, included Linburgh Martin, Charmaine McGowan, Kagabo Ngiruwonsanga and Gabriella Hernandez.
Category: Education, Scholarships
Congratulations to these young scholars. I am sure they will make Cayman proud and be incredible ambassadors at their respective schools.
I am particularly impressed when I see students willing broaden their horizons and travel to places other than Canada and the USA.
This will give Caymanians the exposure they need to know how to compete on a global stage.
Thank you to UWC Cayman and it’s sponsors for giving these kids such a fantastic opportunity.