A would-be veterinarian is to start a course at the Bermuda College after he won a scholarship from the Bermuda Farmers’ Market.

Cush Smith, 18, was the winner of the $5,000 further education award, which was available to students attending alternative education schools.

Lucinda Worrell-Stowe, chairwoman of the Bermuda Farmers’ Market, held at the Botanical Gardens, said: “These students are not often thought of when it comes to scholarships.

“Cush was picked because not only was he the most outstanding student at his school, but also because he is focused, on-task, follows all expectations, and has a vision of who he wants to be and what he wants to do.”

Mr Smith, from Somerset, recently graduated from the TLC Institute in the west end, where he obtained his General Education Diploma.

The TLC Institute, a home school which got its name from the saying “If we teach, there is opportunity to learn, and expectation of change”, has just eight pupils and three teachers.

Cush said he left the Berkeley Institute at 16 because he “didn’t really like the public school experience” and “it was really crowded”.

But he excelled at TLC where he won the best overall student award and the religion award.

He said: “At TLC, there was such a small amount of kids, so if you needed help, you could get it.”

His mother, Zoleka Smith, said: “Berkeley didn’t work out, and I was determined to take him out of the public school system and not let him fail in education.

“TLC is a very small school, so Cush worked on his own level and at his own pace.

“When people think of alternative schools, they think of students who are badly behaved, but you have people like Cush, who are reserved and who just didn’t do well in a large school environment.”

Cush said he hoped to continue his veterinary studies at the University of Birmingham in Britain after his time at Bermuda College.

He said: “I’ve been working at Westover Farm for six years and I just love working with the animals.”

The scholarship was funded from financial contributions from stallholders at the Saturday farmers’ market.

Ms Worrel-Stowe said: “We must thank the director of the Botanical Gardens for allowing us to use their space.

“The committee really appreciates it and, without them, there would be no money for the scholarship.

“Our committee is very excited to have given this head start to this young man.”