Linval and Menervah Taylor – Building the Waterhouse community through scholarships and grants

LINVAL AND Menervah Taylor believe that a good education is the key to success, as knowledge and learning empower individuals to achieve personal and professional goals, develop critical thinking skills, and adapt to changing circumstances

For the past seven years the Taylors, who are retirees for over 15 years, have been sponsoring several students from the Waterhouse community with scholarships, mainly to the University of Technology (UTech). Other institutions have been added over the years.

In 2018, they started by giving full scholarships to two students to pursue their degrees in electrical engineering and nursing at UTech. Both students have since graduated with honours. Over the years, the scholarship programme has gained momentum and the Taylors have added several other students. These students are required to board on campus and the scholarship includes lunch and transportation.

“We want them to live on campus to take them out of the environment that they are in. They get the opportunity to meet new people and explore different cultures that can motivate them to be successful,” Linval said.

FOCUS ON BRIGHT MINDS

A graduate of Kingston College, Linval lived in close proximity to the Waterhouse community. While there, he also experienced the challenges and struggles that many of his neighbours experienced. Fortunately for him though, he had both parents and his life took a more positive trajectory.

“We decided to assist students in the Waterhouse community and the general Kingston 11 area. We have also helped people in other parts of the country. We focus on the bright minds – children that are doing very well in school but need support to continue with their education,” Menervah said.

The scholarships are self-funded, and to date, the Taylors have given over $20 million in scholarships. Each scholarship recipient also receives a laptop.

Linval is a former telecommunications engineer. He attended UTech, formerly the College of Arts, Science and Technology; while Menervah is a past student of Excelsior High School, and The University of the West Indies. She is a retired nurse.

CHANGE FOR FUTURE

“We do not treat the recipients as just students, we treat them as family. We call them and check up on them to ensure that they are doing well. We motivate them to continue to do well. We are helping to train tomorrow’s change agents for the future, and we will continue to invest a lot of time and effort,” Linval said.

So far, seven students have graduated with their bachelor’s degrees, bringing the total to 11 that will graduate this year.

According to the Taylors, while education provides valuable opportunities and is a vital tool, it is not the sole path to success, as factors like hard work, determination, and personal attributes also play significant roles.

“There are many children in the inner-city communities who do not know where their next meal is coming from. We want to change this narrative and for them to understand that there is a better life out there. A solid educational foundation opens doors to more opportunities, better careers, and greater potential for success in various aspects of life,” Linval said.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com