Young achievers 2007

THESE proud teenagers are among a group of 10 who have been awarded places on the 2007 Crown Prince’s International Scholarship Programme (CPISP) and have the opportunity to study at some of the world’s most prestigious learning environments.

The aim is to develop a team of young leaders, educated in the best universities to engineer and help shape the future of Bahrain.
HH Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and chairman of the CPISP Board of Directors, told GulfWeekly: “By providing our youth the opportunity to attain a strong educational foundation and international exposure, we can assure they will contribute to Bahrain’s future and development.” 
Already CPISP scholars are being educated in some of the world’s best institutions including Stanford, Yale and Wharton, London School of Economics, Cambridge and Oxford, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, and Imperial College, London.
They are pursuing a range of subjects which include mechanical and aerospace engineering; mathematics and economics; communication engineering; architecture; human genetics; chemical engineering; international political economy; biomedical research; Islamic political economy; MBA; corporate finance and international banking; information management; law; biology, engineering, human resource management and actuarial science.
Dr Kathleen Cummings, higher education adviser, US, said: “The scholarship is unique in the individual care we give to each candidate.”
Esmat Ahmed, her colleague, added: “We aim to reach the best and give them the best. There is no pressure on candidates to come back and work in Bahrain’s private or public sector.”
In fact, the programme encourages graduates to obtain a job in the global arena and gain international work experience and exposure.
Once selected for the scholarship the scheme is flexible and allows students to seek every opportunity to widen their experiences and improve their skills. 
The ideal CPISP scholar will have strong English language
abilities and a well-rounded personality.
More information on CPISP can be found on www.cpisp.bh. Deadline for applications for the 2008 programme is July 1.

Mashael Adnan Fakhro, 17, comes from a family of professionals. A student of Bayan School, she will soon be leaving for Harvard University to pursue a degree in mathematics. She describes herself as an optimist with a love for music and good conversations. “I am constantly learning from people and from experiences. I love tennis, soccer and playing the piano.
Mashael hopes to develop the country’s stock exchange and demonstrate how an understanding of maths can be applied to the growth of a nation.

Hassan Kadhim Jaffar Al Halwachi, 18, from Al Naim Boys School is heading towards Sherborne School in the UK to do his A-levels. He hero worships Ahmed Zewail – an Egyptian scientist who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1999.
“Serving Bahrain depends on the major I choose. If I choose chemical engineering then my aim would be to help reduce pollutants and utilise alternative energy sources. If I choose a biomedical field then my goal would be to find a cure for hereditary illnesses.”

Mishal Emad Awadah, 17, has got a scholarship to study engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. From the Ibn Khuldoon National School, he wants to make a difference in the world. He said:” I love physics and maths. Engineering is the only major whereby both physics and maths are used at a challenging level with frequent problem solving. The University of Pennsylvania is a very prestigious university with incredibly high standards. It is an Ivy League School and I am thrilled to be going to study there.”

Fatima Al Rayes, 18, from St Christopher’s School will be studying economics at the London School of Economics. A football captain, she is excited about going to London.
“I’m overwhelmed and it really is a privilege.”
Economics, she says, “is relevant to everyone and everything. We all make economic decisions every day and every political decision has an influence from economics.
“I am also interested in how it is so diverse and can relate to many other subject areas.”

Hasan Tariq Alhasan, 17, from Al Noor International School, is only the second CPISP scholar to have chosen France for his studies.
He is going to study at Science Po, Menton, France. He said: “To be a successful CPISP candidate one needs to be prepared as such from childhood. Ambition and potential are key.
“This is where the parents kick in and thankfully, I have incredible ones. So I have to say that my parents were actually my first preparation tools.
“My advice to all those students who are reading this: spend every effort trying to get in the programme. And my last word, serve Bahrain in every way you possibly can.”

Subah Khalid Abdulla Buali, 18, is from Ibn Khuldoon National School and is heading to the Warwick University, UK, where he will be pursuing a course called MORSE (mathematics, operational research, statistics, and economics).
A keen sportsperson, who was on the national tennis team, he said: “I have always been interested in technology gadgets, innovative creations, and computer related devices. I find it insightful and interesting to keep up with the technological world, despite the speed at which it continues to progress at.”

Mahmood Adel Ahmed Hamed, 16, who comes from a family of doctors, is getting ready to join Lawrenceville School, New Jersey, US, to pursue a high school PG diploma.
A student of Shaikh Abdulaziz Boys School, he describes himself as a workaholic – passionate about soccer, basketball and social work.
He said: “My preparation was intense. I have a message for youngsters who are looking up to this scholarship programme - work hard and do your best, after that you just need to have a little faith.”

Zainab Hasan Abdulla, 17, from Isa Town Girls’ School, will be heading to the UK to study her A-levels at Sedbergh School. Both her parents are educationalist and she derives inspiration from a lot of people.
“Bill Gates with his enormous fortune, the extroverted Oprah Winfrey and most importantly my mother. Everyone I know is advising her to write a book about raising kids and that is inspiring, indeed,” she said.  “I am a normal person like you who aimed for more.”

Mohammed Abdulnabi Al Saddadi, 17, from Al Naim Boys School will be going to the Hun School of Princeton, US, to pursue a high school PG diploma.
He said: “I am fascinated by different kind of things such as technology, space, science, theatre, and peace. And I have dreamt of being everything – a lawyer, an astronaut and a doctor among others.
“I am interested in maths because numbers are the only certain fact in the whole universe. Winning the scholarship was not on my plans list but I did prepare hard for it.”

Alia Sayed Redha, 17, from Saar Girls’ School is going the Cheltenham College, UK. She is currently abroad.

By Anasuya Kesavan
anasuyak7@gmail.com