Seventeen (17) tertiary-level students have received financial assistance totaling seven million dollars (J$7 million) in the eighth Annual Summer of Service Programme sponsored by the Governor-General’s Programme for Excellence (GGPE).
At a virtual presentation ceremony at King’s House yesterday, Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen congratulated the award recipients and encouraged them to continue to strive for high ideals. The students worked in six Parishes across Jamaica for eight weeks this summer in a variety of projects at schools, children’s homes, community centres and libraries.
The Governor-General told the students, “It is quite reaffirming to learn of your various projects that have undoubtedly made an impact in the communities and organization that you served.”
He charged them to ensure that their quest for higher education prepared them to cope with the rapid social changes at the national and global levels, adding, “Don’t be ordinary. Be extraordinary!”
Sir Patrick Allen expressed appreciation to the Corporate Sponsors for their generous donations. These included the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, the National Commercial Bank Foundation, Mailpac Group Limited, Derrimon Trading Company Limited, Newport-Fersan Limited, Northern Caribbean University and the University of Technology.
Since the inception of the Summer of Service Programme, over 70 participants have received scholarships.
The Governor-General’s Programme for Excellence (GGPE), which is the umbrella unit for the I Believe Initiative activities, is predicated on the notion of “Using what is right with Jamaica to fix what is wrong with Jamaica.” The IBI marked its 10th anniversary on March 10 this year.
