Three brilliant young ladies excelled in an essay competition, beating out scores of other applicants to become winners of the first ever LaParkan financialscholarship that was offered to students of Caribbean heritage in the New York Tri-State area, who aspire to higher education, and community service.
Eighteen-year-old Amanda Deebrah, is a first year student of Queens College, who will use her $1500.00 as part of her tuition to study Corporate Finance, Computer Science and Asian Community Studies. Ciara Seebachan, also 18, who enjoys watching science programs, will attend John Jay College of criminal justice to major in forensic science.
Latchmee Ramnarine, a former member of the Richmond High Law Club, has her sights set on becoming a politician when she graduates from City College with a degree in Political Science and Government law.
Twenty-one year old Latchmee applauded the scholarship program as being beneficial to students of Caribbean heritage who are rarely ever offered this opportunity.
During the Dec. 4, handing over of the grants at Laparkan’s Customer Care Center in Richmond Hill, Vice President Gavin Khan congratulated the students and said he was excited to hand out the endowment after launching the initiative last summer, adding that the lateness of the promotion prevented a wider cross-section of the community from applying.
The businessman thanked then congresswoman Una Clarke whose successful partnership with Laparkan resulted in many students receiving scholarship, but said he decided that the company should create its own grant, to give back to the community.
“We are endorsing education to modify and change the course of a generation of peoples, according to Khan who pointed out that labor statistics show persons with degrees are more likely to be employed.
Former VP and current Liaison, Robert Mitchell, in turn praised the students for their diligence, and told them, “We at Laparkan recognize that education is the vehicle for social and economic progress, and because of that, we are pleased to be in a position to provide these scholarships to promising young students of Caribbean descent.
“It is an honor and a privilege. We wish you every success,” added Mitchell who also thanked the panel of four citizens of the Caribbean Community whose decision was unanimous.
They are Karlene Large, president of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Association, Linda Watson Lord, cultural and community affairs officer in the office of the Consulate General of Barbados, Tanuja, Raghoo, president of Caribbean Spotlight TV and Dr. Dhanpaul Narine, author, publisher of the West Indian Newspaper.
