Firestone Encourages Students To Take Advantage of Scholarship Program

The Management of Firestone Liberia has formally announced the opening of the application process for its scholarship program for the 2011/2012 academic year in two leeward counties.

The announcement for the application process of the Firestone Scholarship Program was made recently, when a team from the Public Affairs Department of Firestone Liberia, visited the campuses of four schools in Bong and Lofa Counties.

The team, which was headed by the Public Affairs Manager of the company, Mr. G. Rufus Karmorh, on Thursday, June 16, 2011, made its first stop on the campus of the Dolokelen Gboveh High School in Gbarnga, Bong County, where members of the team were met upon arrival by Principal Edwin G. Kwakpae, Vice Principal Moses J. F. Clarke, and students of that institution. Later on in the day, Mr. Karmorh and his fellow teammates also visited the campus of the Tubman-Gray United Methodist High School on a similar mission.

On the Tubman-Gray Campus, the team was received by the Vice Principal for Instruction, Mr. Ogannah Porkpa and the Dean of Students, Mr. Shadrach G. Saydee respectively.

Speaking to a cross section of students on the two campuses, Mr. Karmorh described both institutions as outstanding not only in Bong County but in Liberia as a whole. He stressed that the two institutions have and continue to develop the minds of Liberians who are contributing meaningfully to national development and various spheres of life.

The Firestone Liberia Public Affairs boss also thanked the students for their decision to be a part of that educational forum. Mr. Karmorh noted that “It is therefore worthy of all of you for the decision you have taken among other pressing alternatives to be here and listen to this worthy educational forum.”

He told the students that Firestone continues to champion quality education in Liberia; and further informed the gathering about the tremendous progress the company is making in the rebuilding process of its school system, which was destroyed along with much of the country’s infrastructure during Liberia’s civil war.

According to Mr. Karmorh, the Firestone Scholarship Program provides tuition for deserving students throughout the country to attend primary, secondary or undergraduate institution of their choice, pinpointing that “your mom or dad does not have to work for Firestone.”

He disclosed that more than 100 scholarships were awarded during the 2010/2011 school year, stressing that “These scholarships are a significant part of the company’s educational initiatives.”

He praised beneficiaries of the Firestone Scholarship Program, whom according to Mr. Karmorh, are assiduously doing well at various schools and universities. “I am respectfully pleased to entreat and encourage you to take advantage of this golden opportunity in order to enhance your dream of quality education.” Mr. Karmorh told the students.

The Principal of the Gboveh High School, Mr. Edwin G. Kwakpae, and the Vice Principal for Instruction of the Tubman-Gray High School, Mr. Ogannah Porkpa, who spoke separately, expressed appreciation to Firestone for taking time to visit their schools to announce the opening process of its scholarship program for the 2011/2012 school year.

They admonished students of their respective schools to venture into the Firestone Scholarship Program so as to prepare themselves for the challenges of national growth and development.

The team paid similar visits to the Lutheran Training Institute (LTI) in Salayea and the Zorzor Central High School in Zorzor, Lofa County, where news of the opening process of the Firestone Scholarship Program was released as well.  While on the campus of the LTI, the Director of the Institute, Mr. Daniel B. Smith, took members of the team on a guided tour of a 23-acre of farmland planted with bud grafted young rubber trees.

Mr. Smith used the occasion to appeal to the Management of Firestone Liberia to offer some assistance to the school in the area of farm advisory and support to students studying rubber culture. He described the young rubber farm as “a sustainability project” of the school.  At the Zorzor Central High School, Principal Fester Kpayile said he was delighted that Firestone could take news of the scholarship program to students enrolled in schools in the leeward counties.

Mr. Kpayile informed the team that the visit was timely and rewarding because as he put it “there are some brilliant students too in rural schools that are capable of making good use of the scholarship for a better future.”

The Public Affairs boss of Firestone Liberia further reminded the student populace of the various schools he visited that  they must be focused and studious  in their academic sojourn if they are to obtain and maintain the scholarship as beneficiaries; emphasizing that “only those with such enviable virtues can become and remain beneficiaries.”

The Firestone scholarship program is aimed at benefiting deserving Liberian students from all around the country.