Top National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students from Region Ten were awarded for their outstanding academic excellence in this year’s examinations.
Linden Fund USA (LFU) and Elite Kayaking and Nature Tours collaborated to host an award ceremony to honour the students with trophies, cash grants, and all-expenses-paid kayaking tours.
Importantly, the top three performers from the region — Fernanda Gomez and Renauta Ramdeholl, both of Regma Primary, and Omari Wilson of Watooka Day Primary — were also winners in the LFU’s ANSA McAL-sponsored Spelling Bee competition last year.
Speaking at the award ceremony, which was hosted at the LFU’s office in Linden on Wednesday, Linden Mayor Sharma Solomon praised the partnership initiative.
“For those two entities, I want to encourage you on behalf of the council, to continue to invest in our community. While I always say government will play their part, and institutions such as the municipality will do what they can, it is also important to have the community find means through institutions like Linden Fund and Elite Kayaking to get involved,” he said.
Region 10 Education Officer Nichola Matthews also commended the students and the organisations, further highlighting the importance of such achievements.
“It is always a privilege when we can be invited and we can collaborate to ensure that our young children and the people of Region Ten can achieve and receive. The Department of Education has always had a plan for what we want, and so we set all things in place to ensure that we achieve that,” she noted.
Representative of ANSA McAL Distribution Inc., Sabeena Mendonca, also offered words of encouragement to the top students and their parents.
“As you face the future, I encourage you, the students and even the parents to be motivated. This is just one step in the right direction that you’ve taken,” she emphasised.
Special remarks were also delivered by LFU Board Member and owner of Elite Kayaking, Dr. Deon Anderson.
Following the ceremony, the top students were treated to an all-inclusive kayaking day tour of the stunning Linden Kara Kara Blue Lake and the picturesque rainforest setting of the Kara Kara Creek, both situated at Mackenzie.
They expressed how happy and delighted they were for the opportunity.
The host organisations noted that the innovative partnership not only rewards the students but also highlights some of the natural wonders of the region through one of the most exciting local tours.
Officials with the students honoured
