Incoming 8th graders Ronaldo Ferguson of KC and Chris Campbell of Calabar are the 2011 recipients of the David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Memorial Scholarship.

Each was presented with a cheque of $100,000 by respective VMBS and NCB sponsor representatives Harvel Wedderburn and Courtney Facey at the third annual presentation ceremony held at the  lecture theatre of the Norman Manley Law school on Saturday, September 17, 2011.

Second and third tranche cheques were presented to 2009 and 2010 recipients by sponsors and sponsor representatives Michelle Tracey of Proven Wealth Management, Tiffany Wong of Supreme Venture, individual sponsor Christopher Bell and David Hunt’s widow Georgette Hunt . The previous awardees are: KC’s Kevon Bartley (grade 9)and Miguel Morrison (grade 10);  Calabar’s Renaldo Lewis((grade 9) and Jevaughn Faulder (grade 10).

Appreciation was expressed on behalf of Calabar and Kingston College by respective principals, Captain Lincoln Thaxter and acting principal, Everton Burrell.

“The David Hunt Memorial scholarship was established in 2009 to honour the memory of David ‘Wagga’ Hunt, a distinguished past student of Kingston College and outstanding coach at Calabar High School, who passed way in October 2007. A former National Under 17 football coach for Jamaica , General Secretary of both the Minor League Football Association and  the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association, founding member, President and Technical Director of Meadhaven United Football Club, David served the country’s football fraternity for over thirty years. He was also one of Jamaica’s most notable track and field analysts. One of his notable successes was his coaching directorship of Calabar to victory in both Manning Cup and Oliver Shield competitions in 2005”.

“As a tribute to David Hunt’s contribution to the Jamaican secondary school system, the Hunt family initiated a scholarship that awards financial assistance to two students, commencing at grade 8 and proceeding to grade thirteen. One scholarship recipient will be a student from Calabar and the other will be from Kingston College.  A Committee was established to administer the scholarships and organize the annual “Wagga Classic.”

Scholarship Criteria
“Each Scholarship winner must exhibit the following characteristics for selection:

• A satisfactory record of academic performance
• A satisfactory attendance record
• Significant participation in a sporting activity at school
• Participation in extra-curricular activity (through clubs or societies) at school will count in favour of an applicant, but will not in itself be a decisive consideration.
• The scholarship winner will be a student whose parents or guardians find it financially challenging to meet the expense of secondary education.

Benefits of the Scholarship
“For each year of the scholarship, each winner will receive the sum of J$100,000 to assist in covering school fees, uniform, lunch, books etc.”

Funding
Over the past three years the Committee has secured funding mainly from corporate and individual donors plus the two alumni associations. It is hoped that the “Wagga” Classic will realize a profit. The Classics have been held in New York, Florida and Kingston to date.