Guardsman Group Continues 24-Year Scholarship Awards Tradition

Since 1998 Guardsman Group has offered back-to-school assistance to children of security officers in the form of scholarship awards and stationery packages. Twenty students entering high school from across the island were selected as this year’s recipients. The students were selected based on scores from the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination and gathered at Hope Zoo on August 18 with their parents for a luncheon and handover to celebrate their sheer hard work and perseverance.

Executive Chairman, Kenneth S. Benjamin, OJ, on officially welcoming the attendees remarked “this is an occasion of joy for me as we celebrate and reward the achievements of the children of our security officers. The scholarship programme is dear to my heart because I truly believe that education plays a key role in building a bright future not only for our youth but for anyone at any age. As corporate citizens we all have a responsibility to give back and to try and make our island nation a better place.”

Group Managing Director, Vinay Walia in his remarks at the function shared how the gift of education from his parents formed the foundation of his professional growth and that he looks forward to “the awardees going on to achieve great things. Guardsman Group’s aim is to both reward high-achieving students while at the same time encourage our Security Officers to continue to hone their children’s education.”?

This year’s scholarship awardees who received PEP placement scores ranging from 345.8 to a top score of 383.1 are Kayla Taylor, Lee-Anna Lewis, Tavia Smith, Olivia Harris, Kallicia Levy, Shanana Simpson, Jordanne Witter, Abigail Armstrong, Mikhail Folkes, Kiara Bryce, Peighton James, Trezuan Heron, Leneikah Gray, Kalyssa Morris, Chante Anglin, Tyrese Johnson, Lateivia Poorman, Dashawn Brown, K’Ailaya Forbes and Zoey Morgan.

In delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of the 2022 batch of PEP Scholarship Awardees, top performing recipient and future student of Montego Bay High School, Kayla Taylor shared, "after years of online schooling, stressful and tiring homework and loads of test papers we feel especially grateful to be scholarship recipients. It has given us great joy and hope for the future; this scholarship will help our parents and as recipients, we will continue on our path of excellence.”

With the PEP Scholarship Awards, Guardsman Group has carried on a strong legacy of sponsoring educational CSR programs for our nation’s youth. Over the years the programme has included complimentary educational tours at Serenity Park with ‘Uncle Vernon’, the Boys of Hope programme at Hope Zoo and Guardsman University which was introduced last year to enable all team members to learn anywhere, anytime online. ?

Guardsman Group Director and Managing Director of the Hope Zoo, Mrs. Valerie Juggan-Brown makes the handover to Dashawn Brown headed to Calabar High School and his father Meade Brown.

General Manager – Sales, Marketing & Customer Service, Mrs. Roxan Wais Shirley makes a presentation to future Westwood High School student Leneikah Gray and her mother Jacqueline Edwards.?

Managing Director – Guardsman Limited, David Whittaker presented the scholarship award and stationery to future Wolmerian Mikhail Folkes and his father Michael Folkes.