wins pg 5 7-3-24
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Wins Wood scholarship
POMFRET — Rectory School eighth-grader Jayda Ngibuini became the 2024 recipient of the Patrick Wood Memorial Scholarship at Pomfret School recently. She will attend Pomfret School as a ninth-grader next fall. Jayda is the 20th recipient of Pat’s award begun from donations after his death in 2006.
“We wanted to reward more hard-working students who have an inner drive to succeed. It was that same work ethic that drove Patrick to his own achievement. He earned perfect scores on his SATs and graduated at the top of his class in 2001. He graduated from Stanford in 2005 with honors and went on to intern at BMW and Siemens in Germany.
Jayda has already been through many tests of achievement. She joined Rectory a few months before the pandemic lockdowns began. According to Jayda’s father David, “There was a lot of transition, such as virtual classes or playing soccer matches in masks, but the load was considerably lightened by the welcoming and adaptable community at Rectory.”
The presentation took place at Patrick’s memorial tree near the Pomfret School chapel. The bright sunny day matched the enthusiasm Jayda showed in a thank you note for the award: “I am beyond grateful for being this year’s Patrick Wood Scholarship recipient. I am ready to take on the responsibility this award comes with, and I hope to live up to the standard. Thank you for seeing my potential and starting off my journey at Pomfret on the right foot.”
Jayda has maintained academic distinctions since 2021. She has participated in Rectory’s summer camp and the May Experiential Learning Program. She was captain of the varsity soccer team for the last two years.
Rimer said, “At Pomfret, Jayda wants to try new things. That may also mean she’ll make mistakes. But she knows those possible missteps will help her learn and become more confident and successful. The risk is worth the growth, and that tells me she is brave and headed for greatness.”
Patrick’s story, Back from Suicide: Before and After the Essential Patrick was released on Amazon June 19. More information is available at: www.backfromsuicide.com.
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