Jevonnie Fennell urges youth to look beyond challenges
“This is a transformer. I have to extend my sincere gratitude to the JWN Foundation because they gave a youth from the inner city a chance – a fair shot at life.”
MARINE ENGINEER Jevonnie Fennell has a message for young people seeking scholarships: “Don’t think limits. The world is ours.”
The profound words come as he reflects on his achievements thus far, having profited from a J. Wray & Nephew (JWN) Foundation scholarship to study for four years at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU).
“This is a transformer. I have to extend my sincere gratitude to the JWN Foundation because they gave a youth from the inner city a chance – a fair shot at life,” the Kingston College old boy Fennell said of the scholarship he received in 2017, which he completed with a 3.9 GPA.
The achievement is special to the resident of volatile Waterhouse, near to J. Wray & Nephew’s headquarters, as he believes that it will inspire other community youth to match or exceed him.
“Another thing I would say to scholarship seekers is ‘don’t give up’. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to university, so I had to look a scholarship. I had the drive and I knew I had to go to college, because
I want betterment for myself and family. So young people should continue to search, because nowadays there are more opportunities, more scholarships out there from corporate entities and foundations,” he said while revealing that it was through combing social media platforms that he came upon the J. Wray & Nephew Foundation Master Blender Scholarship.
Functioning a year now as a mechanical technician in the Maintenance/Engineering Department of J. Wray & Nephew, Fennell also serves as director of scout operations at the Scouts Association of Jamaica, with which he has been affiliated since age six.
For the duration of his stint at CMU, he taught mathematics voluntarily in Waterhouse on Sundays, as stipulated by the guidelines of the scholarship. It was through that programme that youth who hitherto disliked math, and had little to do with the subject, earned grades one and two passes in their regional examinations.
“I am still inspiring people in Waterhouse,” said the man whose only sport at school was running up in the stands cheering at‘Champs’. “The JWN Foundation is my second family; it does a lot for people and gives professional advice,” Fennell ended.