An announcement by Dart Cayman Islands to launch a scholarship programme for high school students was made at Camana Bay on 8 February.
Executives of Dart Cayman Islands were joined by Education Minister Rolston Anglin and Ministry of Education Chief Officer Mary Rodrigues, as well as members of the Dart group of companies and principals and teachers from private and public schools.
The scholarship component of what is being called the “Minds Inspired” programme is a four-year high school scholarship based on academic excellence with a clear focus on mathematics and science. Additionally, the programme will provide mentoring and enrichment opportunities to further encourage, support and inspire students to achieve their full potential.
Senior manager of Organisational Development for Dart Enterprises Ltd. Joanne Lawson said: “Dart believes that mathematics and science are fundamental building blocks for both academic and career success and as such, we have developed a scholarship that rewards students for overall academic achievement but with specific emphasis on these two important disciplines.”
Managing director of Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. Jim Lammers said, “We are proud to build on Dart’s commitment to education with the Minds Inspired programme and provide the deserving recipients with another essential tool for achieving academic success.” He said studies have shown that students who take math and sciences in high school are more likely to attend college, university or technical schools.
“Additionally, the skills learned in these two disciplines can be applicable down the line, even if you aren’t studying to become an engineer, accountant or biologist,” he said. “Dart is pleased to help nurture the ambitious aspirations that these young people have.”
Two scholarships will be awarded each year to students entering Grade 9 (Year 10) who have excelled in math or science. Those selected will be awarded financial assistance covering the cost of tuition, books and uniforms to the high school of their choice in the Cayman Islands for four continuous years.
Equally as important as the financial support are the opportunities for the students to participate in the mentoring and enrichment components of the programme. Each Minds Inspired scholar will be paired with a mentor from Dart, who will encourage academic excellence and provide them support and direction as they progress through their high school to tertiary studies. With the transition from high school to higher education, the focus of the mentoring relationships will progress to valuable career and job mentoring.
The enrichment component of the programme seeks to broaden knowledge by providing access and opportunity to math and science learning and events outside the classroom environment. Through enrichment, scholars are given opportunities to make connections with local and international math and science organisations. These opportunities may include overseas field trips, academic competitions and events to promote learning experiences.
To further solidify its support for these students and help ignite a spark for continuing education at the tertiary level, the Minds Inspired programme will establish a college fund in addition to the high school scholarship. During the duration of the four years that the recipient is in high school and in the programme, funds will be placed in trust for the scholar and will become available to assist with their tuitions costs of tertiary education.
The Minds Inspired programme will also acknowledge the unwavering dedication to math and science demonstrated by their respective schools. As such, the programme has announced a grant of CI$1,000 will be awarded to the math and science departments of the recipient’s school.
Education Minister Rolston Anglin said, “This is a phenomenal programme for Caymanian students and I hope that Dart is inundated with applications.”
The minister said recognizing academic excellence in math and science is important as it encourages individuals to solve the problems and think critically – a set of skills that informs the decisions people make throughout their lives.
Scholarship Secretariat Manager Deirdre Seymour said, “The Scholarship Secretariat from the Ministry of Education is pleased to hear of this new scholarship offering by Dart Enterprises now available to students in compulsory education, which also includes a provision for a college fund for tertiary education. As you know we offer a range of tertiary scholarships including the RBC Harry Chisholm Scholarship, the Gwen Bush Memorial Scholarship, the MACI (Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands) Scholarship, as well as our standard overseas and local scholarships.”
Interested applicants may apply by speaking with their school principal or by visiting www.mindinspired.ky for detail and forms. Applications will be evaluated based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities and an essay. All core academic areas will be considered in the evaluation process; however, the areas of mathematics and science are more heavily weighed in the final evaluation. The deadline for submission of applications is 13 April, 2012, with the first scholarships awarded prior to the start of the 2012/2013 academic year.
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