SHAUNDRICE FOSTER, Top PALAS 2015-2016 Performers (5 of 5).... PALAS Gold Star Awardee of Excelsior High School... 8 CXC passes with 3 ones, distinction...Aspires to Be a Marketing Management Specialist Won several awards and certificates for school & community activities

by Shaundrice Foster, A 2015 PALAS Awardee. Excerpts from her Essay 

The abbreviation PALAS signifies Peace and Love Academic Scholarship. As a Christian young lady peace and love are some of the attributes that I embrace in my personal journey throughout life.

Having completed five years at Excelsior there has been many up and downs, many achievements and many difficulties encountered in efforts to achieve them. One such difficulty that unfortunately has remained as a constant issue is financial difficulty. I am currently living with my grandparents and my aunty as a temporary living situation and due to the fact that the only source of income is my grandfather’s pension money, things are entirely tedious and difficult as the small amount of money received is not enough to finance the basic needs of a family of four much less to send a teenager to high school on a daily basis.

In regards to my parents, my mother left me when I was a toddler, hence I do not know her and my father is currently unemployed and has been in this state for quite some time now due to the scarcity of jobs and the current prevailing economic conditions. In spite of all this I am a philanthropist by nature and I find joy in giving back to people through my services as a way to uplift myself and promote positive thinking. My future plans are to pursue a career in the field of marketing management and entrepreneurship. In order to fulfill this I would like to complete the two year period of the sixth form program and then enroll in a tertiary institution where if the Lord permit, I would pursue my bachelor’s degree, major  in Marketing,  minor in Entrepreneurship. 

After this I would like to work as a qualified senior marketing manager in a firm to generate capital to finance my business. Awarding me with this scholarship would help me to get through sixth form and continue on my academic journey that I have already started as well as facilitate the fulfillment of my goals and plans for the near future.

Sometimes due to the severity of my circumstances the only options are go out and ask friends or to ask the guidance counselor for assistance. Unfortunately I am not on the path program, due to some unknown circumstance I was not accepted and the temporary program available at the school, operated by the guidance department to help only a limited number of students has ended.

Therefore I believe that my unbearable circumstances has rendered me eligible for receiving this scholarship as it would provide much needed financial assistance even if it is for a temporary period, this assistance would be greatly appreciated and utilized for the relevant purpose.

Please make a donation online at www.PALAS1.org to support these scholarships. PALAS awards 95 scholarships in 2015 in Jamaica. Preserving Young Minds for Posterity.