During this year’s Foundation Week celebrations at Christ Church Foundation School, two outstanding current students have been honored with new scholarships from the Foundation School Old Scholars Scholarship Fund (FSOSSF), a giving initiative that has sustained a decade-long legacy of alumni investing in the next generation of school graduates.
Nikhyl Burnett and Makiah Gaillard accepted their awards at a ceremony held in the school’s assembly hall, capping off this year’s round of distributions from the endowment. As the FSOSSF chairperson Laura-Lynn Lawrence shared, the fund has poured roughly $210,000 into student support over the past 10 years, having awarded 24 scholarships prior to this year’s ceremony. With the addition of Burnett and Gaillard’s awards, the total number of scholarships granted by the alumni fund climbs to 26, with total disbursements now totaling $231,000.
For the FSOSSF leadership, this scholarship is far more than just one-time financial aid. Lawrence emphasized the deeper meaning behind the awards during her remarks at the ceremony. “This scholarship is a message to all students that we see you. We recognise your hard work, and we believe in your potential,” she said. The primary goal of the funding is to ease the financial burdens that often derail talented young students as they work toward their academic and professional goals, while also planting a seed of pay-it-forward generosity that will encourage recipients to support future students once they themselves have graduated.
“We hope that this support will ease some financial pressures that can sometimes stand between a young person and their dreams,” Lawrence explained. “But most importantly, we hope it inspires our awardees to continue striving for excellence and one day to give back to the school.”
Established in August 2014 and officially registered as a charitable organization under the national Charities Act in February 2015, FSOSSF offers targeted support to specific groups of continuing students from Christ Church Foundation School. Eligible recipients include students pursuing three-year degree programs in Science, Technology, and Accounting at the University of the West Indies, as well as students enrolled in the four-year Nursing degree program at Barbados Community College. To qualify for an award, candidates must demonstrate a record of strong academic performance, active contribution to school community life, and verified financial need. Recipients may renew their funding each year for the duration of their program, provided they maintain a minimum acceptable grade point average.
Christ Church Foundation School Principal Shawn Forde framed the scholarship awards as a core part of the Foundation Week celebration, highlighting the enduring commitment of alumni to the school’s current student body. “This week represents the tremendous dedication, effort, consistency, and resilience of the old scholars of this school and you, the present,” he noted. Forde also emphasized that the program offers ongoing support rather than a one-time gift, with annual funding available for as long as recipients meet the academic requirements. “Not only a one-time support, the support is each and every year once they continue to keep their grades up,” he said, encouraging current students to value the merit-based nature of the opportunity: “When you are getting something that you have worked hard for, you can push up your chest and say, ‘Yes, that is all me.’”
The ceremony also featured remarks from Dr. Tori Stuart, a 2019 scholarship recipient who has since completed medical school and returned to her alma mater to present this year’s awards. Stuart reflected on how the scholarship supported her own educational journey, noting that when she received the award, she was just starting the demanding work of medical training. She echoed the sentiment that the value of the scholarship extends far beyond the financial assistance. “The scholarship provided valuable financial assistance, but beyond that, it gave me something equally important: the reassurance that people believed in me and my potential,” she said. That vote of confidence stayed with her through the five years of medical school, motivating her to push through challenging moments. Addressing the current student body, Stuart urged attendees to seize every available opportunity and stay focused on their long-term goals: “There will be difficult moments and times where you may doubt yourself, but remember that your circumstances do not define your potential. Stay committed, work hard, remain humble, and never be afraid to dream beyond what you think is possible.”
Lawrence closed the ceremony with words of encouragement for this year’s recipients, echoing Stuart’s message of perseverance. “We encourage Makiah and Nikhyl… to make the most of this opportunity by continuing to work hard, remaining humble, and never underestimate what you’re capable of achieving,” she said. “You could be standing here in the years to come. Always remember you have a choice. Either to settle for what is easy or to challenge yourself to become better.”