Scholarships have been awarded to six students by the Southampton Parish Council to help as the learners further their education.

The council said that each year it is impressed with the “exceptional” quality of applicants and for 2025 named Myeisha Sharrieff, Enrique Mendes, Jahkaida Francis-Hollis, Sanjayah Allwood, Alay Burgess-Rocker and Noah Hayward as recipients.

Ms Sharrieff, a swimmer who competes for Bermuda and for Howard University, in Washington DC, is pursuing a bachelor’s in finance with a concentration in risk management and insurance.

The council said she is committed to a “gruelling” training and competing schedule.

Mr Mendes, a student athlete and aspiring architect, is pursuing studies in business administration with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and small business science at Husson University in Maine.

Ms Francis-Hollis is studying nursing overseas and intends to return to the island as a paediatric nurse.

The council added that she is gaining invaluable experience working part-time at a rehabilitation and health centre.

Ms Allwood is following health and social work studies at the University of Bolton in England.

Described by the council as a deeply empathetic young person, she volunteers in Bermuda and abroad, “serving vulnerable people with care and compassion”.

The parish council said that after exceeding all expectations in secondary school, Ms Burgess-Rocker — a proud, driven and self-confident young Bermudian — is pursuing a bachelor’s in actuarial science at St John’s University in New York.

Mr Hayward, who has myriad hobbies and skills from steel pan playing to field hockey, is pursuing a bachelor’s in science with a concentration in forensic science at Ontario Tech University in Canada.

Corey Butterfield, the scholarship committee chairman, said: “Along with reading books to Southampton’s schoolchildren on World Book Day, tangibly assisting Southampton’s students achieve their academic goals is extremely rewarding.”

He added: “In fact, the committee voted to alter its policy to ensure the maximum number of candidates were awarded.

“We wish them all the very best for the upcoming year.”