QuotaTT awards scholarships

Scholarship awardees Jordan Thorne, left, and Mattia Street flank president of QuotaTT Jillian Jones-Smith. -
Scholarship awardees Jordan Thorne, left, and Mattia Street flank president of QuotaTT Jillian Jones-Smith. -

“Learn to appreciate others, always remember that we cannot stand on our own.”

This was the call of feature speaker Sade Walker, investigating officer at the Ministry of Education, at QuotaTT’s second annual scholarship awards for deaf and hard-of-hearing students who were successful at the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA).

Walker, an advocate for people with disabilities and an aspiring children’s book author, shared her personal story of triumph at the event at Dretchi compound on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. “When I was an infant, the results of an audiology exam concluded that I had profound hearing loss in both ears and my twin brother had moderate hearing loss,” a media release stated.

She explained that despite facing bullying, discrimination and limitations because she wore hearing aids and has a speech impairment, she did not let that stop or discourage her from pursuing excellence. “When you think you are being rejected or life is unfair, or why this negative thing is happening to you, always remember that you are just simply being redirected to something better.”

Speaking at the small ceremony for the awardees president of QuotaTT Jillian Jones-Smith emphasised that QuotaTT takes pride in supporting the development of children and more so, the deaf and hard of hearing.

“There is value in supporting your future in education. You are no different to any other child in our beautiful twin-island of TT. You deserve the same opportunities, but to achieve this it is particularly important that firstly your education is in full focus.”

Also at the ceremony was Dr Paulson Skerette, chairman of the education committee, TT Association for The Hearing Impaired (TTAHI).

QuotaTT is a non-governmental organisation that seeks to empower women, children, the deaf and hard of hearing and people with speech difficulties. Even though the covid19 pandemic presented many challenges QuotaTT said it remained committed to presenting two students with annual scholarship awards and presented Mattia Street and Jordan Thorne with cheques for $2,500 each. They successfully began secondary school in October.

QuotaTT said it continues to be the lead organisation funding scholarships for deaf and hard of hearing children in TT.

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