{"id":2855,"date":"2026-10-01T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/uncategorized\/pocket-rocket-foundation-2026-scholarship-awards\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T12:00:00","slug":"pocket-rocket-foundation-2026-scholarship-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/trust-news\/pocket-rocket-foundation-2026-scholarship-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Corporate Hands | Pocket Rocket Foundation hosts 2026 scholarship cohort at awards ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Corporate Hands | Pocket Rocket Foundation hosts 2026 scholarship cohort at awards ceremony<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

by Jamaica Gleaner<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 1, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shelly-Ann
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, founder and chairwoman of the Pocket Rocket Foundation, and Dr Jermaine McCalpin, executive director, are joined by members of the foundation\u2019s 2026 scholarship cohort following the annual Scholarship Awards at the Wolmer\u2019s Girls\u2019 School Hall in Kingston, on Thursday, September 24. Representing 15 high schools and 10 sporting disciplines, the scholars reflect the foundation\u2019s continued investment in developing Jamaican student-athletes beyond competition, with support that places equal emphasis on academic achievement, personal development, leadership, and preparation for life beyond sport. Photo – Contributed Jamaica Gleaner, October 1, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: Jamaica Gleaner<\/a>, October 1, 2026. Republished for the Wolmer\u2019s Trust community with attribution.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big jump in applications for Pocket Rocket Foundation scholarships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

by Jamaica Observer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 1, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Founder
Founder and chairwoman of the Pocket Rocket Foundation Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (front row, centre); and the foundation\u2019s Executive Director Dr Jermaine McCalpin (back row, left) join members of the foundation\u2019s 2026 scholarship cohort for a group photograph following the annual scholarship awards at the Wolmer\u2019s Girls\u2019 School Hall in Kingston last Thursday. Jamaica Observer, October 1, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pocket
Pocket Rocket Foundation scholar Peter-Gaye Gray (centre) is flanked by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the foundation\u2019s founder and chairwoman, and Dr Jermaine McCalpin, executive director. Jamaica Observer, October 1, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pocket Rocket Foundation scholar Peter-Gaye Gray has challenged the programme\u2019s newest scholarship recipients to see their awards as more than financial support, urging them to use the opportunity to build the confidence, discipline, and skills needed for life beyond sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gray delivered the charge last Thursday as the Pocket Rocket Foundation welcomed its 2026 cohort during its annual Scholarship Awards at the Wolmer\u2019s Girls\u2019 School Hall in Kingston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA scholarship isn\u2019t just an award. It\u2019s someone believing in your potential,\u201d Gray, deputy head girl at the Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha), told the incoming scholars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on her experience in the programme, Gray said she initially viewed the scholarship primarily as an opportunity for financial assistance but, \u201cI soon realised that the Pocket Rocket Foundation was about so much more than that. It was about becoming part of a community that believed in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her message came as demand for the foundation\u2019s scholarship programme continued to grow. More than 500 applications were received for the 2026 scholarship cycle, a 33.75 per cent increase since 2025, with interest also coming from outside Jamaica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme continues to attract student-athletes from across the island, with this year\u2019s recipients representing 15 high schools and 10 sporting disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s cohort includes students involved in track and field, football, volleyball, table tennis, netball, basketball, lacrosse, swimming, cheerleading, and gymnastics, with scholars drawn from institutions in Kingston and St Andrew, Clarendon, Manchester, Hanover, St James, and Westmoreland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, founder and chairwoman of the Pocket Rocket Foundation, the growing interest reinforces the responsibility that comes with supporting young Jamaican athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe understand the lives that we are touching,\u201d Fraser-Pryce said, acknowledging the commitment of the foundation\u2019s board, volunteers, and partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know if you can become a professional athlete. We don\u2019t know that. But at the Pocket Rocket Foundation, we are investing in people,\u201d added Fraser-Pryce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s cohort also reflects achievement beyond competition, with scholars excelling in academics, leadership, debating, mathematics, reading, and technology while pursuing ambitions ranging from medicine and data science to marine biology and professional sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gray encouraged the recipients to develop those interests alongside their athletic pursuits, reminding them that the qualities built through sport can serve them long after competition ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reality is that sport will not last forever,\u201d said Gray as she encouraged the students to carry the discipline, resilience, teamwork, and time-management skills developed through sport into other areas of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fraser-Pryce similarly challenged the scholars not to allow their circumstances, sporting identities, or the expectation of others to limit what they believe is possible. \u201cWe are standing on the shoulders of someone who decided that they would take a chance on us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With demand for the scholarship programme continuing to grow, Fraser-Pryce said the foundation\u2019s focus will remain on giving Jamaican student-athletes the support, exposure, and development opportunities needed to succeed both in competition and beyond it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Jamaica Observer<\/a>, October 1, 2026. Republished for the Wolmer\u2019s Trust community with attribution.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Corporate Hands | Pocket Rocket Foundation hosts 2026 scholarship cohort at awards ceremony by Jamaica Gleaner October 1, 2026 Source: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2852,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trust-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wolmers.org\/trust\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}