TT swimmer gets Princeton schol

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Sobenna George was among 202 persons awarded national scholarships from the Ministry of Education last week.

The lanky George was rewarded for her academic excellence with an Additional National Scholarship for Mathematics after she got Grade As in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, as well as a Grade B in General Paper at the 2003 Cambridge “A” Level Examinations. The 18-year-old ex-St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph student was also a recipient of a swimming scholarship from Princeston University in the United States, and left Trinidad last week to start her first semester with the famed institution. The soft-spoken George, one of two children to Herbert and Dr June George — an engineer and a UWI lecturer respectively — was appointed head girl prefect of her school for the 2001-02 academic year. George also accumulated a large haul of medals and trophies for her club Marlins, which is based in Westmoorings, and Trinidad and Tobago at a number of local and regional meets, including the annual CARIFTA Swimming Championships, since the age of 12. The combination of academic and athletic success is nothing new to the George’s household. Sobeena’s brother Kemi, another national and Marlins standout, was also awarded an additional scholarship in science three years ago.  Currently a senior in his final year at Harvard University, he is also the co-captain of the university’s swim team.