Monthly Archives: January 2025

Photo Caption: Jennifer Martin, JN Foundation board member presents Xiomara Gordon, the 2024 JN Foundation PEP Scholar for Kingston, with her certificate during the JN Foundation scholarship award ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston recently.

Despite women remaining underrepresented in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and engineering specifically where they occupy less than 20 per cent of engineering-related positions worldwide (according to the Society of Women Engineers), Xiomara Gordon, the 2024 JN Foundation Primary Exit Profile (PEP) scholarship recipient for Kingston, is determined to make her mark in the field.

Inspired by her love of problem-solving and innate curiosity sparked by online videos, Xiomara believes a career in engineering is the perfect match for her talents. It has been an area of interest for the Vaz Preparatory alumna since age six. She is now a first former at Campion College in St Andrew.

“I’ve been watching videos about engineering, and it looks like such an exciting and creative field. I love figuring out how things work too, so I feel like this career would be a perfect fit for me,” she said.

Although she has not yet decided on a specific engineering discipline, she is already charting a path forward, with plans to pursue her studies in Germany. She began laying the groundwork for her engineering journey as early as 2021, when she purchased the book, The 50 Greatest Engineers by Paul Virr and William Potter.

Looking ahead, she plans to join her new school’s engineering club and continue excelling academically, ensuring she meets the requirements for admission into top engineering programmes.

Xiomara has already built an impressive academic record. After sitting her PEP exams at Vaz Prep earlier this year, she received awards for Most Outstanding Performance in Mathematics and Language Arts and awards for Outstanding Performance in Science and Ability.

Campion College was her dream school and in addition to passing for the institution of her first choice, her PEP grades earned her one of the five-year JN Foundation scholarships, for which she simply said she is grateful to receive. She was among 37 scholarship recipients recognised for their PEP achievements at the JN Foundation PEP Scholarship awards reception held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston recently.

“The PEP exams were ok, they weren’t hard,” she said adding that, “I really wanted a scholarship and I’m thankful that I got the JN scholarship.”

Besides her interest in engineering, Xiomara likes tennis. She is also an active member of the Crochet and Key Clubs at Campion.

Her mother, Kerrian Johnson, who works in property management and administration, said she is proud of her daughter’s work ethic, independent nature and drive for success.

“She has high standards, and her teachers will tell you, if she gets 98 per cent she cries. Xio has always been a focused child and continues to be that way throughout school. I am her biggest cheerleader and supporter,” she said.

Describing her daughter as creative and bubbly, especially around family, Ms Johnson shared how she enjoys watching Xiomara explain complex concepts and break down difficult principles for her peers. She added that her daughter also has a passion for building with Legos.

With a background in marketing and public relations, Ms Johnson said she fully supports her daughter’s ambitions and is excited to see her make waves and break barriers in STEM.

“I want Xio to know that she can go and be anything she wants to be, whether it’s in Germany or anywhere else. When she was little, she always said she wouldn’t leave me, but I tell her all the time to go and explore the world, understanding that wherever I am is home,” Ms Johnson noted as she expressed gratitude to the JN Foundation for providing Xiomara with a scholarship.

“I was happy to get the news, and I really wanted this. It will certainly assist with her educational expenses,” Ms Johnson said.

Photo Caption: Chevanese Peters (left), project coordinator at the JN Foundation presents diapers, food supplies and milk-based products to Monsignor Gregory Ramkissoon, founder of Mustard Seed Communities. Sharing in the moment is Omar Wright, lead, environment, and community development programmes at the JN Foundation. The presentation took place on Thursday, December 19 at My Father’s House on Mahoe Drive in Kingston. The JN Group through the JN Foundation made the presentation under its ‘Comfort for Christmas’ initiative, which is supported by members of staff at The Jamaica National Group. The initiative is in its third year.

Support for the Mustard Seed Communities has been bolstered with a generous donation from the JN Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Jamaica National Group, to help address the increasing needs of the approximately 500 residents across Jamaica in its care.

The donation, which included nearly 4,000 diapers, canned foods, and milk products, comes at a critical time as the organisation expands its care to include 58 Haitian children. The donation was made by members of staff of The JN Group.

Father Garvin Augustine, executive director of Mustard Seed Communities International, expressed gratitude for the support, noting the significant impact such contributions have on the lives of the children and the organisation’s ability to provide for their diverse needs.

“Every little thing makes a difference,” he said at the official handover of the items recently at the Mustard Seed Communities’ Mahoe Drive location in St Andrew. “This donation allows us to bring dignity and joy to the children we care for, many of whom have special needs,” he added.

The JN Foundation’s initiative, ‘Comfort for Christmas’, now in its third consecutive year, focuses on providing much-needed supplies to support the day-to-day operations of Mustard Seed’s apostolates in St James, St Ann, Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, and Manchester. This year’s contribution included items essential for the care of children who rely on feeding tubes and specialised dietary products.

Candice Nichols, social impact assessment officer at the JN Foundation, highlighted the growing demand for food and basic supplies following the Mustard Seed’s acceptance of Haitian children in need of care at the Jacob’s Ladder apostolate in St Ann earlier this year.

“We acknowledged the increased need and made an effort to include canned food this year alongside our regular donations of diapers and milk products,” Ms Nichols said.

She disclosed that the JN Foundation’s continued support of Mustard Seed Communities extends beyond the holiday season, with past contributions including emergency aid after Hurricane Beryl. Nichols is urging others to contribute, emphasising that even small donations can make a meaningful impact.

“Sometimes people hesitate to give because they think their contribution isn’t enough,” she explained. “But whether it’s one pack of diapers or $1,000 Jamaican dollars, every effort adds up to help us meet the needs of these children.”

Ms Nichols further stated that with the latest donation, the JN Group through the JN Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with Mustard Seed Communities in their shared mission to improve the lives of Jamaica’s most vulnerable citizens.

Mustard Seed Communities care for children with disabilities, abandoned children, and marginalised groups, requiring continuous support. They provide shelter, food, medical supplies, therapeutic interventions, and basic household items. Father Garvin Augustine emphasised that donations of any kind, whether financial or in-kind, help sustain the mission and ensure the children’s wellbeing.

In the early years of prep school, Kiarrah Wisdom was could not read. The situation was so dire that her mother, Nekeshia Gray, became concerned that something might have been wrong.

However, through hard work and determination, Kiarrah overcame that obstacle and as a reward for her growth, became the JN Foundation Scholarship recipient for the parish of St James after she achieved a score of 387.4 in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Exam, which was enough to place her at her first choice, Montego Bay High School.

“Kiarrah’s story is very inspiring,” said Miss Gray. “Up to Grade Two she was unable to read. I remember one Saturday I was with her at piano class and I gave her a book which was outside of the regular scope of books and she was unable to break down the words.”

She added, I became concerned and I asked myself ‘what is this?’ I pulled her from piano lessons, while her sister continued. “I took her to Fontana Pharmacy and asked her to choose a book that she liked to get her to start reading. She chose a book that she wanted to read and for two terms, every Saturday, that’s what we did, sat under a tree in Mr. Gilzene’s yard and read.”

Both Kiarrah and her mother are so appreciative of the book that they have refused to part with it.

“We still have the book, The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt because it is one of those that we haven’t given away,” Miss Gray revealed.

For Kiarrah, overcoming that hurdle meant that she could excel in her academics at school. Her efforts were rewarded when she was named as the JN Foundation PEP Scholar for St. James.  The JN Foundation Scholarship is awarded to students who excel in external exams at the primary level for the past 40 years.

This year, the JN Foundation awarded a total of 47 scholarships. Of the amount, 37 were five-year awards: 14 parish scholarships; three JN Bank Easi-Save County scholarships; and 20 children of JN Group staff members who received the Building Excellence and Achieving More Success (BEAMS) scholarships. The remaining 10 awards were one-time grants presented by JN Money Services Limited to high-performing students who did not receive full scholarships.

“I have been working hard since grade three and put in a lot of effort to do well because I wanted to go to my first choice, Montego Bay High School,” she said. “I wanted to get a scholarship and believed that I could get one.”

The 12-year-old who said mathematics was her favourite subject hopes to become an accountant said although she was confident that she could achieve a scholarship, she was still nervous about the possibility of not doing as well as she wanted.

“I was a little nervous while studying because I kept asking myself ‘what if I don’t get to go to the school or my first choice or make my family proud?’ I decided to study hard and put my trust in God that I would do well,” she added.

Miss Gray is extremely proud of her daughter’s achievements and credits the success to Kiarrah’s dedication.

“Her memory is super good. However, before PEP she put in a lot of effort. She was always up before 5 ‘o’ clock studying and then got ready for school before I even got up. She was very determined,” explained Miss Gray.

“We are very happy because she really wanted to go to her first choice, Montego Bay High School because her older sister attends the institution and is in fourth form and she was adamant that she wanted to be with her older sister,” the mother added.

Miss Gray describes Kiarrah, who is the second of three daughters, has being very exuberant.

“Kiarrah is smack in the middle of my three children, but she doesn’t behave as a middle child. She is very rambunctious. You have to remember her whenever you interact with her. She doesn’t allow anyone to overshadow her and she is always determined to make her mark wherever she goes,” she said.

  As she immerses herself to the challenge of high school, Kiarrah is determined to follow the footsteps of her mother by choosing a similar path.

“I love numbers that’s why mathematics is my favourite subject. I love it because I hope to become an accountant,” she said.

Miss Gray added, “She likes my job because I am a Chartered Accountant and this is the reason she wants to follow my footsteps.”