“The Sister Kathleen Jackman Memorial Scholarship Award would help in financing my education greatly …  it’s just my mother and myself,” a grateful Jalen Jones who is studying Environmental Biology at U of T said last Saturday at Tropicana Community Services.

Jones was among recipients and organizers at the 2016 Sister Kathleen Jackman Memorial Scholarships ceremony at Our Lady of Good Counsel Caribbean-Canadian Catholic Church with the theme Let Mercy and Wisdom be your Inspiration.

“My goal for the future is to become an environmental scientist and study climate change as well as conserving ecosystems,” Jones told The Camera.

Past recipient Desley Andrew-Augustin, Miss Caribbean Canada 2015 and a York U. grad in media, concurred with Nola Jackman who said, “Throughout her short, yet rewarding life, Kay epitomized the theme. Persons who encountered Sister Kathleen have always commented how her creativity and compassion inspired them to practise acts of mercy, which we, her family, hope that this year’s recipients and also past recipients, will do

Andrew-Augustin is an example of Nola’s vision of engendering positive and insightful changes, living a life of compassion towards the community, while being mentally and spiritually stimulated to perform well in their different fields of study.

Ontario’s Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell penned warm congratulations to the event, noting, “It is my belief that education is a driver of social justice. For the best means of helping people realize their potential is to guarantee the best possible education for as many as possible.

“Shared access to the intellectual capital we have built up over the years helps bind society together and improves the likelihood of greater inclusion prosperity. Quite simply, investment in education is an investment in a healthy democracy.”

Interim Chair Robert Mohammed praised Pastor and Director at Our Lady of Good Counsel Rev. Fr. C. Guiseppi for his support and guidance.

“This award is not a hand out but a hand up in assisting you in your career. With this award we hope to inspire you to fulfill your goals with the knowledge that our whole community is behind you in your endeavours,” Mohammed told the recipients.