Some 28 students from across the island were on Thursday (August 17), presented with scholarships and bursaries valued at over J$9 million through the Burger King National Scholarship Programme.

The students were presented with their awards at a luncheon held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston to assist with their secondary and tertiary studies.

Ashley Clarke, who was presented with a Burger King Foundation tertiary scholarship to pursue a degree in political science at the University of the West Indies, Mona, urged her fellow scholarship awardees to continue to excel in their respective areas of studies despite how lonely and challenging the journey may become in attaining those goals.

“My mother always told me it is lonely at the top, may I say to you all today it is lonely at the top. It is lonely going for your goals, it is lonely attaining those goals but it will all be worth it when you get to walk across that podium and collect that college degree, that high school diploma or even that primary school completion certificate. Imagine the smiles on your parent’s faces when they see you, screaming your name at the top of their lung and the pride that overtakes them when they see their child complete that college degree, that high school diploma or that primary school completion,” Clarke said.

Michelle Desgouttess, education officer in the Ministry of Education and Youth, commended the Burger King Scholarship Programme for its continued support in providing financial support to secondary and tertiary students.

“Your commitment to education through this programme over 22 years is among the finest demonstration of good corporate citizenship and social outreach. The education of our young people is a national project from which our wider society benefits and there has to be an all-hands-on-deck approach if we are to have desired outcomes,” Desgouttes said.

The education officer said that the education ministry fully endorsed the mission of the Burger King Scholarship Programme to help improve education and the general well-being of students.

Rashai Graham, assistant brand manager at Burger King, said that “Burger King is proud to be a continued supporter of children and young adults seeking to advance their education for the betterment of themselves and Jamaica. We firmly believe that education is the key to improving the country’s welfare and we have made it so that primary, tertiary, and secondary students may apply to as many scholarships as they are eligible so that they may maximise on all opportunities.”

Nadia Kiffin Green, head of sales and marketing at Restaurants Associate Limited, said that the Burger King Scholarship Programme has for over 20 years provided an avenue for several students to pursue academic studies.

“Every year Burger King endeavours to provide at least 20 students with scholarships and bursaries so they may equip themselves with the necessities to achieve a better academic standing. This year, the brightest under the sun will be awarded 28 primary, secondary and tertiary scholarships and bursaries totalling over $9 million in commitment to our BK scholars over a five year period,” she said.

Among the day’s awardees were Vanessa Andrews and Antoune McFarlane, who were presented with the Burger King Open Tertiary Bursaries valued at J$200,000 to pursue computer science and engineering, respectively, at The University of the West Indies.

The Burger King Open Tertiary Scholarship, valued at J$1, 200,000 was presented to Dwayne Blake and Nicoleann Harvey, who will be pursuing pharmacy and biochemistry, respectively, at The University of the West Indies.

The Rodwell Lake Scholarship was presented to Nathan Crossdale valued at J$200,000 to study software engineering at the University of Technology.

Other awardees include: Keon Plummer, Daniel Hinds, Asafa Powell and Tasheka Young, who were recipients of the Burger King PEP Scholarships valued at J$50,000.