A young aspiring teacher plans to follow in the footsteps of one of the Island's greatest educators.

Vanessa Paulos, 18, graduated from CedarBridge Academy with top honours last week and will continue her education at Bermuda College in the autumn.

Miss Paulos was Valedictorian and won several awards and scholarships, including the Dame Marjorie Bean Award presented by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which awarded her $500 as well as a prestigious recognition.

The Dame Marjorie Bean Award is given annually to two young women from the Island's public high schools who demonstrate the qualities of "scholarship, sisterhood and service"— Berkeley graduate Jessica Araujo was also chosen for the award.

The award recognises a well-rounded young lady who is a humanitarian, leader, active in her community, committed to her educational goals, involved in extra-curricular activities, organised, determined and diverse — and Miss Paulos reflects all of these.

Miss Paulos admittedly learned many of these characteristics from her parents and said: "My mom is the organised one, the motivating one. My dad is a more 'do-it yourself', 'get-your-hands dirty' type of guy — if he wants something he knows you have to do it yourself."

Like many teens, Miss Paulos admits she tested out the idea of careers such as a chef, accountant and actuary before deciding on becoming a teacher, but feels she has the right skills to be a great educator.

Throughout high school Miss Paulos tutored her peers in subjects like maths and explained: "It's fun — I like teaching. I like demonstrating new things."

Dame Marjorie was a recognised educator, political activist and philanthropist, and significantly the first woman on the Island to become a Dame.

Though Miss Paulos could not fathom receiving the Queen's honours, she does plan to be a great teacher and understands the importance of education and giving back.

She said: "Education is very important because with it you can go far, you can do anything you want with it and no one can take it away from you. You are in school for 13 years of your life and you develop your character there, you develop your personality, your routine for what you do in and out of school.

"Its like building blocks — each year you learn more and more. You keep learning for the rest of your life".

In high school Miss Paulos participated in extra-curricular activities, such as basketball, volleyball and softball and was the President of the National Honour Society — a group of honour students who volunteer in the community.

Miss Paulos thinks of herself as a role model because she tries to give back to those less fortunate. She said: "I try to help where there is a need, encourage others to shine. Everyone needs someone to push them along the way".

The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority originated within black colleges in the United States, but remains open to accepting diverse members, which is why both of the recipients this year are Portuguese-Bermudian.

Sorority member Donna Edwards said: "Our sorority does not discriminate. With the coming of the times we have opened it up to become a multi-cultural sorority — and that is not just in Bermuda that is world-wide, that is part of our national mandate."

When asked why Vanessa was selected, Ms Edwards explained: "There was a committee that actually looked through the essays that were given. Vanessa was the young lady that demonstrated most of the qualities that Delta Sigma Theta sorority look for — she had leadership skills, she was academic and on the honour role, she had school spirit and sportsmanship and was generally a well liked young lady by peers and teachers alike.

Dame Marjorie was an esteemed member of the Sorority and Ms Edwards said of her: "As a Delta, Dame Marjorie Bean is one who has made major contributions to the Island of Bermuda. And also a woman, in the era that she came up in she didn't let others or things stop her from her goals — she was a trailblazer".

The award has been in existence for more than ten years.