SHEONAE GRANT of St. Thomas, Jamaica : Law Student at UWI-Mona with 4.0/4.0 GPA....President of the inter-school fellowship, member of 4 major teams Volunteers at Bustamante Children Hospital 18 CXC/CAPE passes with 15 distinctions (15 ones)....2014-15 PALAS TOP PERFORMERS STORY (5 of 5)

SHEONAE GRANT of  St. Thomas, Jamaica : Law Student at UWI-Mona with 4.0/4.0 GPA... President of the inter-school fellowship, member of 4 major teams Volunteers at Bustamante Children Hospital 18 CXC/CAPE passes with 15 distinctions (15 ones). She attained 27.3 out of a possible 30 points on the PALAS evalution of her application package.

Below she writes in her essay to PALAS...

I attend the prestigious University of West Indies-Mona. It was a realization of mine that life could be tracked by a series of numbers from date of birth to the tax registration number. It was frightening that one’s legacy could be reduced to numbers on documents. However, I am challenged by the words of Marcus Garvey: “Whatsoever things common to man, that man has done, man can do”. Great people of history, like Nelson Mandela, have ‘done’ so then I too can ‘do’. Therefore I posit the idea that I, Shéonae Grant, am the ideal representative for what any recipient of the prestigious 2014 PALAS Scholarship should possess: a zeal for academic excellence driven by unyielding dedication.
As a Christian, I am guided by the scripture, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others...” (1 Peter 4:10). With this in mind, I perform the duties of Deputy Head Girl, president of the Inter-School Christian Fellowship of Wolmer’s and Treasurer of my church’s Youth Department. I volunteered my time at the Bustamante Children’s Hospital where I engaged patients whose parents could not be present. I am a member of the Volleyball team, Debating Society, Science Club and Peer Counseling Body. In all this I learned how satisfying servitude could be, the art of patience and selflessness which helped me to develop qualities like being diligent, humble and teachable. 
I aspire to be a lawyer because I have a passion for the administration of justice and equality for all who seek it. I became aware of issues concerning equality for persons with disabilities. I admire the law profession for the incredible platform it would allow me to influence necessary legislative reform in this particular area since the last National Policy on Disabilities was passed in 1999. I intend to press for a greater sensitization towards persons living with disabilities. This would be my first contribution towards helping Jamaica attain sustainable development.
 I am in a desperate financial situation that sees me incapable of paying the $10,000 US tuition for the Law Programme to which I am already provisionally accepted. I am the second of three children, one of whom is now in her second year at the same university. I reside outside of Kingston, where the institution is, and transport to and from school is more expensive. My mother is a civil servant and my father is a minister. In light of the wage freeze in government salaries, my siblings’ schooling expenses,  household expenses and impromptu medical emergencies, reality is it is ‘impossible’ to meet these fees.
 I would be eternally grateful for any assistance which can be given to me so that I may be able to achieve these endeavors that are genuinely difficult for me to part with. I sincerely hope that the 2014 PALAS Scholarship will hear the plight of this aspiring lawyer and help me to be more than just a number.

PALAS, 'Preserving Young Minds for Posterity'. Please help us to support these brilliant students by donating at www.PALAS1.org or Send a check to PALAS, P.O Box 5461, Alpharetta, GA 30023.