Cuba wants to increase scholarship quota to Jamaicans

In a bid to further strengthen relations between both Caribbean territories, particularly in the areas of health and education, Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Gisela Garcia Rivera says her embassy is hoping to send more Jamaican students to Cuba to pursue studies in medicine and other areas of scholarship.

Speaking with the Observer at the Cuban embassy in Kingston on Saturday at a function to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution (and to celebrate the birthday of Cuban national hero, Jose Marti) Ambassador Garcia pointed out that presently there are approximately 27,500 students from 120 countries studying in Cuba. Of that number, more than 400 are from Jamaica.

"Last year, we received 290 applications for scholarships to study medicine, but we could only offer 17 scholarships for medicine and nine for other specialties. So this year, if it's possible, we are hoping to send more students to Cuba and also send some of that 290 that were not successful last year," Garcia told the Observer. "This month, we will start receiving applications for next year."

Garcia also noted that more and more Cuban professionals were itching to come to Jamaica to offer their services in a variety of areas.

"We have about 37,500 Cubans working in different areas in over 70 countries worldwide, with most of them being doctors," the ambassador said.

She said that of that figure, 43 were teachers and 35 were doctors currently working in Jamaica, with the majority employed in northern parishes.

In the meantime, Saturday's food and music festivities at the Cuban embassy on Trafalgar Road in Kingston was attended by Cubans living in Jamaica as well as by Jamaicans who are members of the Cuba Friendship Association.

Matthias Brown, a member of the Westmoreland Cuba Friendship Association told the Observer that he enjoys working closely with the Cubans.

"Even if we had to walk from Westmoreland to come to Kingston, we just had to be here. Our community organisation in Westmoreland has been enjoying a wonderful relationship with the Cuban people. Over the last three years, we have been doing our Bay of Pigs celebration in Westmoreland," Brown shared, as Spanish music blared in the background.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Garcia noted that with parliamentary elections in Cuba set for the 20th of January, she would be hosting a press conference on Wednesday to make a statement about this important process in Cuba.
Source :http://www.jamaicaobserver.com

Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Harvard School of Public Health

The Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is geared toward expanding
the
diversity of those entering academic public health. The program creates
a
bridge between academic training in health-related disciplines and
entry-level faculty positions at institutions throughout the United
States. Fellows have a home within one of the school's nine academic
departments:

Biostatistics
Environmental Health
Epidemiology
Genetics and Complex Diseases
Health Policy and Management
Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Nutrition
Population and International Health
Society, Human Development, and Health

Candidates for the Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship Program must have a
doctoral degree. To achieve the goal of increasing the diversity of
academic public health, candidates must also be members of minority
groups underrepresented in public health or first-generation college
graduates.

For more information, please visit
www.hsph.harvard.edu/academicaffairs/yerby.htm

Sperry receives scholarship at CSC

Carl Sandburg College student from Oneida, was the one student in the state to receive the Mid-America Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel Board of Directors Scholarship.

MAEOPP is the regional professional association for the TRIO programs and encompasses a 10-state region.

Each four-year college and community college with a TRIO program is allowed to nominate one student for scholarship consideration. Sperry was selected from the CSC program. MAEOPP then selects one student from each state to receive a scholarship. Grades, co-curricular or community activity involvement, and an essay are factors considered.

As part of the application process, Sperry wrote an essay explaining her accomplishments, her grade point average, to what four-year school she would transfer and in what field she would major, as well as other relevant personal information. Sperry has completed her associate in applied science degree at Carl Sandburg College and will transfer to Kendall College, taking online classes, this summer to major in early childhood education. Sperry was an active member of the TRIO Student Support Services program while attending CSC.
Source :http://www.register-mail.com

Church to recognize three MHS scholarship winners

Three graduating Middletown High School students have been named Marline Lightford-Davis Memorial Scholarship winners and will be honored at the Tried Stone Baptist Church "Graduation Celebration Day" Sunday.

Grace Campbell, Dorionne Dodson and Rodney Hunter were each awarded the $1,000, non-renewable scholarships for African-American seniors at Middletown High School. A church committee selected them out of a group of approximately 15 students based upon their grade point averages and applications, which allowed the students "to express why they deserve being a recipient," according to Elmon Prier, a teacher at Middletown High School.

Hunter plans to attend the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Cincinnati to major in business, Campbell plans to attend Miami University's Oxford campus to major in microbiology and Dodson will attend Miami University Middletown to major in business.

Tried Stone Baptist Church began awarding the scholarship in 2002 to help more black students go to college. Jerome L. Davis, CEO of Jerome L. Davis Associates in Atlanta, originally donated $15,000 to establish the scholarship in his mother's name. She was a dedicated member of Tried Stone Baptist Church.

"I am extremely proud that Mr. Jerome L. did this," said Prier, who will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony on Sunday. "He invested in our community and gave our children a chance to have a college education and give back to Middletown one day."

Starting in the 2007-08 school year, Davis will increase the scholarship to award four deserving students.
Source :http://www.middletownjournal.com

Switz City Central grad to award scholarship named in his honor

Otto Hineman hasn't been to a class reunion since he graduated from the old Switz City Central High School 79 years ago.

On June 1, he'll return to the town where he graduated in 1928 to attend his first reunion.

“I didn't know until last year that they had anything like that (a reunion) down there. I'm going to attend this year.” he said.

The 98-year-old Rush County farmer and retired teacher will be the special guest for the Switz City, Central, White River Valley reunion to be staged at WRV school.

The reunion is held every two years.

A scholarship - recently established by the alumni association - has been named in his honor and will be presented to its first recipient this year. The exact monetary value of the new scholarship hasn't been established, but Sonja Hayes, one of the organizers of the alumni event, says the group wants to make it nice and is now accepting donations to benefit the scholarship from any alumni or area businesses.


“We wanted to do something. He (Hineman) is the only member of that first class still living. We are glad he can attend and three of his children are coming with him,” she said.

The recipient of the first Otto Hineman Alumni Scholarship will be Kevin Cross, the son of Dale and Carmen Cross, of rural Sandborn.

Cross, who is also one of two Greene County Lilly Scholars, will attend Purdue University in the fall and major in agriculture education.

The scholarship will be presented during WRV commencement exercises on Saturday and Cross will also get a chance to meet the scholarship's namesake at the alumni dinner June 1.

Hineman, who lives near Rushville, is the last surviving member of the class of 1928 - the first graduating class from the previous Central High School building that was constructed in 1927. The building was demolished and replaced by the current WRV Junior-Senior High School facility during the consolidation that took place in 1990.

Hineman, when contacted at his Rush County farm Tuesday morning by the Greene County Daily World, said he was honored to have a scholarship named after him.

“I'm surprised and happy they thought to do something like that. It's an honor to have something like this named for you,” he said. “I don't know what to say. I am very much surprised.”

Hineman and three of his four children plan to attend the alumni dinner.

“I'm looking forward to it. It will be nice to meet some of the people there,” he said.

He currently lives on his 250-acre farm - on which he still assists with the farming operation that grows corn and maintains a small cattle herd.

Hineman recalled that he attended all 12 years of school at Switz City and played baseball and basketball in high school under coach Jerry Wakefield.

The school principal was Mason Aldridge.

“I remember when the principal handed me my diploma he said I was the best little man he ever seen,” Hineman, who stood 5-8 and weighed 120 pounds during his high school days, said.

He also remembered some of his classmates and friends like Fred Bogard, Mason Holtsclaw, Reid Reagan, James Justice, Harold Nelson, Charles Hollars, Ralph Harper, Bill Atkins, Agnes Gibson, Wilma Swango, Austin Rodenbeck, Carl Neal, Albert Turpin, and Helen Streitimere.

After high school, he worked for one year before enrolling at Indiana State University in Terre Haute in 1930.

He recalls times were tough and he had to work and pay his way through school.

“I would go to college until my money ran out. Then, I came home and worked for farmers,” he said.

Hineman graduated in 1937 with a degree in business and physical education.

His first teaching experience was at Monroe High School in Adams County where he taught business subjects and coached baseball and basketball.

From there he taught at several schools in Johnson County before a farm accident changed things for him.

“I had an accident in 1946 involving a corn picker. I lost three fingers on my right hand so I was unable to type and teach typing. I took some additional training and taught elementary grades after that,” he said.

Hineman received his Master's Degree in education from Ball State University in 1966.

His last teaching assignment was at Neil Armstrong Elementary School in Mooresville - where he served for 10 years as assistant principal and a teacher before retiring in 1974 with 37 years of classroom experience.

Hineman's wife, the former Mable Dierdorf, was from Jasonville. He met her while attending ISU.

His wife died March 24, 2003.

They had four children - Carolyn Hineman Martin, Harold Max Hineman, Kay Jeanne Hineman and Mark Dennis Hineman.

The scholarship recipient ranks third in his class of 68 seniors with a 4.281 grade-point average.

He plans to be a high school agriculture teacher.

“As an agriculture teacher at a local high school, I plan to use my leadership skills and effective techniques of motivation to exert a positive influence in my community. By being a prominent leader in my community, I will promote only clean, powerful and positive activities and practices. I will also strive to generate more authentic leaders that will have the willpower and ability to become well-respected figures in their communities. I believe that my positive attitude during my career as a teacher will motivate pupils to reach their potential and become prominent leaders in their communities,” Cross said.

Cross has a twin brother, Kyle, who will also attend Purdue.

Kevin Cross has been very active in the White River Valley FFA program for the last four years and currently serves as chapter and District VII president. He also serves on the Indiana FFA State Executive Committee and the Indiana FFA State Special Circumstances Committee.

He also has been a member of the WRV Student Council for four years - serving as secretary in 2003-04; the National Honor Society and French Club for four years.

He's also a member of the Switz City Christian Church, where he serves as a church board member and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Among his volunteer/community activities, Kevin has helped glean vegetables for homeless shelters near Washington D.C. (2006), harvested and donated deer for needy families (2005), assisted with the collecting of fruit for area nursing homes (2006), has worked the Riley Children's Hospital Shoot and the “Lock A Load For Kids” programs at Triple H Gun Club, south of Linton - where he has been employed since 2003.

The banquet reunion event will get underway at 3 p.m. with registration followed by a tour of the current school facility at 4 p.m.

The dinner - catered by the Worthington Assembly of God Church - will begin at 5 p.m. It will feature barbecue or garlic and lemon pepper chicken breasts; ham with pineapple; or pasta with meat sauce; baked or garlic roasted potatoes; corn; green beans; layered salad; fruit salad; homemade bread; strawberry shortcake; angel food cake; cookies, pies and drinks.

A variety of past graduating classes will be honored - 60 years and over; 50 years (class of 1956-1957); 40 years (classes of 1966 and 1967); 25 years (classes of 1981 and 1982); and 10 years (classes of 1996 and 1997).

Cost is $12 per person. The deadline to register has passed, but Hayes said walk-ins will be accepted at the door.

Attendees are encouraged to dress in red, white or blue or in khaki or in a military uniform in support of the country and its troops, Hayes said.

“This year we want to have a patriotic theme,” she said.

For more information, contact Hayes at 659-3527 or 381-1441.
Source :http://www.dailycitizen.com

Scholarship to develop woodland craftsmanship

AN organic smallholder has won a £2,500 scholarship which will help him develop his hurdle making, hedge laying and woodland management skills

Simon Saggers (pictured, right), from Bassingbourn, near Royston, Cambridgeshire, will receive the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship from The Lord Chamberlain, Earl Peel, at the Royal Warrant Holders’ annual lunch in London in June.

With the award, Simon will be able to offer customers a traditional range of winter woodland services from his Guilden Gate smallholding.

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) was endowed by the Royal Warrant Holders Association to advance education in modern and traditional crafts and trades in the UK.

Scholarships, open to men and women of all ages, are awarded twice a year.

Since 1991, the trust has made cash awards worth over £1million to 167 craftsmen and women to develop their skills. This spring, seven awards were made totalling £42,500.

Simon, 38, grew up in Bassingbourn, where his family have farmed since the 1600s. When his father retired, Simon set up the Guilden Gate smallholding on five acres of the farm.

“Since 1999 I have created a mixture of vegetable and herb fields, new hedges, an orchard, wildflower meadow, and coppice woodland,” he said.

“I have built greenhouses, soft fruit cages, multi-use barns and an environmentally-sensitive cottage.

“Our wind turbine and solar panel ensure we generate more energy on site than we consume. The holding is off mains water and sewerage, so bills are reduced.

“Generally we have been working to re-establish the type of smallholding that used to be a part of life in every village, but that has sadly all but disappeared in south Cambridgeshire.”

Guilden Gate’s main business is producing a range of products for their popular vegetable box scheme. The farm produces fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, honey and woodland products, including willow hurdles.

“Each day is different and I have to try and be a horticulturalist, woodsman, retailer and marketer, landscape gardener, builder, plumber, food packer, electric and water services engineer all rolled into one,” he said.

Winning a QEST Scholarship means Simon can take courses to give him a grounding in the ancient craft of hurdle making and provide new winter skills to complement his ‘summer’ smallholding and horticultural skills. Hurdles are increasingly popular alternatives to mass-produced fencing and screening.

Also, after completing a basic chainsaw course, Simon will have three weeks ‘on the job’ hedge laying tuition with experts so he can embark on his own hedge-laying work.

He is convinced that interest in hedge-laying and hurdle-making will continue to grow.

He hopes to be able to explore other woodland management opportunities as Guilden Gate woodland matures.

QEST trustees look projects which contribute to the pool of talent in the UK and reflect the excellence of British craftsmanship as symbolised by the Royal Warrant of Appointment.

Application forms for scholarships (closing date for summer 2007 scholarships: June 8, 2007; for spring 2008 scholarships: January 18, 2008) may be obtained by sending an SAE (50p) to: The Secretary, The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, No.1 Buckingham Place, London SW1E 6HR. They can also be downloaded from www.qest.org.uk.

Source : http://www.farmersguardian.com

Scholarship deadline approaching in Pennsylvania

If you want to apply for the Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders new scholarship program you’re running out of time. Applications are due June 1.

The scholarship program was started to encourage outstanding students to study agriculture as a career path. Beginning with the 2007-2008 academic year, the group will offer $5,000 in scholarships on a yearly basis to directly support Student Leader Scholarships.

The purpose of these scholarships is to provide recognition, encouragement, and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry.

Selection of the scholarship winners will be based on the completed application within the following weighted criteria: academic performance (30%); apparent commitment to a career related to the dairy industry (30%); evidence of leadership, character, and integrity (25%); and application compliance (15%). Application must be made using the Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders Student Leader Scholarship Application form at www.padairystake.org.

Completed applications should be sent to: Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders, ℅ N. Alan Bair, 777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17512.

Scholarship application forms are available at www.padairystake.org or by sending an e-mail request to info@padairystake.org or call (717) 948-6328.

Source : http://www.dairyherd.com