The first Fidelity Sir Vassel Johnson Award of Merit has been granted to the 2005 Cayman Scholar.
Leonard Lewis, a 19-year-old John Gray High School graduate, was presented with his grant at a special awards luncheon held at the Grand Old House on 29 December 29.
‘We are very pleased to offer this award to Leonard, on the eve of his departure to York University,’ said Brett Hill, Fidelity’s President and CEO.
‘Leonard has proven himself to be a well-grounded, driven young Caymanian, and we are delighted to have him as our first Sir Vassel Johnson Award of Merit winner.’
Fidelity created the award to mark the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations last year, when it also renamed its Banking Hall for Sir Vassel, a long serving Fidelity Board member, stated a press release.
Leonard began his freshman year at York University in Toronto in January, majoring in Computer Science and Engineering.
The award will allow the winning student to make the most of every opportunity available to him whilst at university, the release said.
Over the next three years, he intends to use the Fidelity Sir Vassel Johnson grant to fully help explore the avenues which this degree programme offers, and see how best he can serve Cayman on his return.
Whether this will be in the form of research, programming or engineering remains to be seen, but Cayman is likely to benefit greatly from the efforts of this highly motivated individual, the release said.
Leonard is an honours graduate of John Gray High School, where his nine CXC and GCSE passes with grades ‘A’ or ‘B’ earned him the title of Student of the Year in 2003.
While maintaining admirable grades, Leonard also participated in the Key Club, earned his half-colours for his participation in inter-house sports, and was a member of the JGHS Swing band, Concert band and choir. He then continued on to Cayman Prep School, where he did ‘A’ levels in physics, math and computer studies.
A well-rounded individual, Leonard is an accomplished clarinet player, and is also a second-level black belt with 10 years of martial arts training.
He credits these extra-curricular activities as the source of the discipline necessary to his academic performance, and hopes to continue with his training while at university.
Leonard has an impressive figure to measure his progress in Sir Vassel, but he relishes the challenge.
‘Sir Vassel is an innovator, and a pioneer. I have always hoped to achieve things that will impact Cayman for the better, the way Sir Vassel has done,’ he said.
‘He is a positive role model for me and for other young Caymanians who want to help shape the future of the island. Winning the Fidelity Sir Vassel Johnson Award of Merit has inspired me to go above and beyond in my search for ways to make a difference in Cayman.’
The Sir Vassel Johnson Award of Merit presentation was made by Mrs. Samantha Paul, Fidelity’s Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator and a past Cayman Scholar, who said she was very pleased to support another Scholar in his pursuit of his academic goals.
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