Scholarships

Four young Singaporeans with disabilities were awarded the Microsoft YouthSpark Scholarship to pursue tertiary education in information technology (IT) related fields at an awards ceremony held at ITE College Central today. Presented to students who demonstrate excellent academic credentials, strong leadership potential and a passion for higher learning, this year’s Microsoft YouthSpark Scholarship recipients impressed the judging panel with their inspiring display of bravery, determination and resilience in overcoming a variety of physical and sensory challenges, including autism spectrum disorder, hearing impairment and vision impairment.

Even as many students struggle to find balance between their academic responsibilities and co-curricular activities, the three recipients of this year’s Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Scholarship for Persons with Disabilities excelled in both while overcoming conditions that would have discouraged many. The trio with ‘invisible’ disabilities, or disabilities that are not apparent, Sarah Lim, Joshua Ong and Teo Zi Lin, received their awards from Guest-of-Honour Mr Ang Wei Neng, Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC, at the APB Foundation Scholarship for Persons with Disabilities Award Presentation Ceremony held at the Enabling Village.

Achieving academic excellence over and above facing challenges from disabling conditions and having to deal with bullying, taunting and even a life threatening situation were what made three young Singaporeans stand out among others to be awarded the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Scholarship for Persons with Disabilities. They received their awards from Guest-of-Honour Ms Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Education and Mayor, South West District in a ceremony held at the SPD Ability Centre. 

Five scholarships were awarded to outstanding young Singaporeans with disabilities at the Microsoft YouthSpark Scholarship Awards Ceremony 2015 today, up from the four scholarships disbursed annually in previous years. Given to students who demonstrate excellent academic credentials, strong leadership potential and a passion for higher learning, this year’s scholarship recipients impressed the judging panel with their inspiring display of strength, courage and resilience in overcoming a variety of physical and sensory challenges, including macular dystrophy (vision impairment), hearing impairment, osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones disease) and Asperger’s syndrome.

When he was 16, wheelchair user Jan Lee formed the conviction that to get a job and have a better future, he had to stand out from his non-disabled counterparts by working hard and excelling academically. Jan has Transverse Myelitis, a neurological disorder caused by inflammation of the spinal cord. At 23, he may well achieve his ambitions with the help of the SPD-Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Scholarship.

“There are plenty of contributions (I can make) to the society if I were to become a scholar of The Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD),” wrote Cai Zhenquan. “I would like to talk to children (with physical disabilities) about my experiences of growing up and make sure they can slowly learn to accept the fact that they are disabled”.

All I ask is for a chance from them to prove myself,” wrote Jan Lee, one of SPD’s scholarship recipients this year. He was answering a question regarding gaining employment in his scholarship application essay. In it, he writes about his hopes for gaining employment after graduation, keenly aware of the obstacles he will face then.

For the past few months, 10-year-old Elton Seah was hard at work rehearsing for a play, and looked forward to when he could perform in public. Being able to perform on stage is no small achievement for him, as the primary five student has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which causes stiffness in his calves.