Scholarship winner to pursue paediatrics

Micah Leon plans to put her mind to studying a variety of subjects: biology, paediatrics, and the protection of keystone species like mangrove trees. She said it all comes down to having an interest in fields that are nurturing, and she recently expressed her gratitude for receiving a scholarship to facilitate her higher education pursuits.

“I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” she said. “As I embark on this journey, I carry the belief that serving others is not just a responsibility, but a source of fulfilment and positive change.”

Leon was named the 2023-24 Government High School Scholar, which she accepted on Wednesday, 31 Jan. during a ceremony at Grand Old House. This is the second year of this scholarship programme.

She has been accepted at Brown University in the US state of Rhode Island, and aims to pursue a medical degree

Surrounded by her supporters, the 17-year-old took to the podium and shared a bit about her academic journey so far.

Growing up in Cayman

She is currently attending Clifton Hunter High School, focusing her studies on scientific subjects including physics, chemistry and biology. While school provided a venue for her to pursue her passions, Leon said her appreciation of biology and other STEM-related subjects originated from exploring the outdoors.

“I think growing up on this beautiful island is the thing that started my love for plants and animals,” she said. “At that point, my thought process was ‘Why are these [iguanas] blue? Why do sea grapes grow only by beaches?’”

That interest flourished in high school, where she said her teachers encouraged her.

“These are teachers who taught me IT, but they were also there for me when I needed someone to talk to,” she added.

Leon has pursued good grades, but she has also focused on her development outside the classroom. She has taken up steel pan, joined the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, and become a rugby powerhouse. She even was featured in a short documentary series highlighting outstanding young women in the sport, while she also plays for the national team in netball.

She said her variety of interests all have one thing at heart — serving her community to better the territory.

“I would like to be there as someone who is mentoring children of the islands, giving them someone to look up to,” she said.

Her teachers described her as well rounded, energetic, gifted and intrinsically motivated.

Investing in education

Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who presented Leon with the up to $100,000 award, affirmed her belief that the government should increase its investments in the education of young Caymanians.

The premier said she had been aiming to implement the scholarship programme since she first took up the post of education minister, and she was overjoyed to see it kick off last year. John Gray High School graduates Abigail Rose and Diamond White were the first awardees.

“I wanted to break a lot of those barriers down,” she said, expressing her hope of seeing more Caymanian students flourish academically after high school. “I knew one of the bridges we needed to close the gap was the financial affordability aspect.”

O’Connor-Connolly said she hopes to see matching support from the private sector next year.

Rigorous process

Acting Chief Officer for the Ministry of Education Lyneth Monteith explained in a video played during the ceremony that the selection process was “very rigorous.” Among other criteria, students must graduate from a government high school with at least 10 passes and grades of A, one or distinction.

Leon far exceeded that, receiving 17 passes, 13 of which were ones.

“There are benefits to both the recipient and the Cayman Islands,” she explained. “For the recipient: gaining access to an education in a prestigious university that affords them a world-class education where they are exposed to a diverse environment and networking opportunities.”

Monteith said the Cayman Islands also benefits from the development of exceptional students who become role models for other young people.

“It will enable us to think outside the box,” she added. “They may look at innovative careers that will help the Cayman Islands government to solve some of the issues, some of the pressing problems that we’re trying to find solutions for.”

Leon said she looks forward to returning to Cayman in the future.

In an interview after the ceremony, she offered a few words of advice to next year’s candidates. She advised them to focus on small, achievable goals that will pave the way to their future ambitions.