NASSAU, The Bahamas – Winner of the 2017 All Bahamas Merit Scholarship, Paloma Cartwright, describing herself as a “barefooted, frizzy haired, little Long Island Girl” proved she is much more.
Miss Cartwright graduated from N.G.M. Major High School in Buckleys, Long Island, with a 3.89 GPA, seven A’s in BGCSE examination results, and as valedictorian of her high school graduating class.
This year, at the 23rd All Bahamas Merit & National Merit Scholars ceremony, 15 scholarship recipients and their families, gathered to celebrate the benefits of excellence and hard work at Government House at an event attended by Governor General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, and Minister of Education the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd, August 10, 2017.
Winner, Paloma Cartwright proved to be very well-rounded — holding positions as Deputy Junior Minister of Tourism, Top Female Sailor in The Bahamas, and a spot in the finals at the Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Paloma is proud to say that she is the first All Bahamas Merit Scholar from Long Island, despite her many hardships and setbacks due to the severe damage that Hurricane Joaquin left behind on the island in 2015.
The scholarship awards Paloma Cartwright $140,000 with which she will attend McGill University in Montreal, Canada, to study Engineering/Computer Science. As she enters this new chapter in her life, Paloma remarked, “As long as you have the determination to succeed, nothing can get in the way of your dreams.”
Runner-up for the 2017 All Bahamas Merit Scholarship is Lakia Rolle of Queen’s College, New Providence. Lakia has earned $100,000 for her studies at The University of Miami where she will study Biology and Health Sector Management and Policy.
The ceremony was conducted by the scholarship recipients. The 2016 All Bahamas Merit runner up, Nia Cambridge, who attends Richmond University, gave this year’s winners some helpful advice and words of encouragement.
The recipients of the 2017 Bahamas National Merit Scholarship, receiving $25,000 per annum for their proven and consistent track record of superior academic performance are: Kristian Moree, Sunland Baptist Academy, Grand Bahama; Donte Richard, Forest Heights Academy, Abaco; Rhema Nottage, St. Andrew’s School, New Providence; Tiffany Hanna, St. Augustine’s College, New Providence; D’Azure Harvey, Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy, Grand Bahama; Shania Albury, Forest Heights Academy, Abaco; Llando Chea, Queen’s College, New Providence; Whitley Cargill, St. Augustine’s College, New Providence; Christina Moncur, Queen’s College, New Providence; Glen Knowles, St. Augustine’s College, New Providence; Alexander Rolle, Queen’s College, New Providence; Spencer Cartwright, Queen’s College, New Providence; and Vincent King, Queen’s College, New Providence.
