Twelve-year-old Ky-Lee Dyce, recipient of the JN Scholarship for the parish of St Thomas, credits her success in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams to her passion for reading, a hobby that has become the cornerstone of her academic achievements.

The former student of White Horses Primary and Infant School in St Thomas scored 341.7 in the PEP Exams to gain a place at Campion College, her first school of choice.

Ky-Lee expressed how happy she was that her hard work and determination had borne fruit.

“When I found out I got this scholarship, I felt this incredible wave of relief, joy, and accomplishment all at once, and I couldn’t have been happier,” she said.

The future software engineer believes that if she continues to work hard, she will achieve her goals.

Her success was no surprise to her grandmother Anna Dyce, who shared that Ky-Lee enjoys fuelling herself with knowledge, taking particular interest in reading the Bible.

“She will read any book she can find, but she especially loves her Bible! “You always see her with her Bible!” shared Ky-Lee’s grandmother.

“Even when she is studying, she will study for a while and then take a break to read her Bible,” she added.

Ky-Lee’s love for the Bible is not unusual, said her grandmother, as she was brought up in the church and is a member of the Church of God (Seventh Day), White Horses where her pastor, O’Dean Bailey, speaks highly of her. Dyce said the family emphasises being spiritually focused and credits hard work and prayer to Ky-Lee’s success.

“When I heard that Ky-Lee was getting the award [JN Scholarship], I was excited! I know she likes to do her work. She is always on top of her schoolwork,” her grandmother shared beaming with pride.

“When she comes home from school, the first thing she does is bathe, get something to eat, and go straight to doing her homework,” she shared.

Described as passionate, curious, and reliable by her grandmother, Ky-Lee is dedicated to achieving her goals and making her family proud.

In preparation for school each morning, she wakes up at 3:30 a.m. and is on the bus to school by 5:15 a.m. That may be early for many youngsters, but Ky-Lee is a determined young lady who says she sees the benefit in making the journey from St Thomas to Campion College.

Mother, Kimiella Moore, shared that she is incredibly proud of her daughter.

“Her remarkable achievements come as no surprise considering her innate ability for independent learning.”

Her father, Kerwayne Dyce, also expressed immense pride in her achievements, saying, “The school scholarship bestowed upon my daughter is a testament to her unwavering commitment and incredible potential. It fills my heart with immeasurable pride and joy.”

Primary school teacher, Sharlene McDonald, who taught young Ky-Lee in grades five and six at White Horses Primary and Infant, described her as a dedicated and disciplined student.

“Ky-Lee has a great passion for knowledge. She was a role model to her peers and was elected head girl at White Horses Primary and Infant School. She was a jovial student and enjoyed doing her schoolwork but never missed out on an opportunity to run and play with her peers,” she fondly remembered her student.

“She wasn’t the best runner though”, she laughed, “because each time she went outside to run and play with friends, I could always look for them to be carrying her back in their arms saying she fell.

Her former teacher continued: “She loved to debate and would always refer to the Bible whenever arguing a point. She is a ‘Bible girl’ – always saying something about her Bible. I know she will go on to do great things because of her passion for knowledge.”

The JN Foundation PEP scholarship and grants are given to students who display academic prowess, leadership potential, and a commitment to excellence – qualities that Ky-Lee has exemplified throughout her educational journey.

Since 1983, The Jamaica National Group has been supporting the educational pursuits of hundreds of young people at both the secondary and tertiary levels through the scholarship programme.