Island Scholars Program Expands Mission to Empower Students Across Turks and Caicos
- NewslineTCI
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
What started as a single effort to help one student achieve her dream of studying abroad has evolved into a growing national initiative aimed at preparing Turks and Caicos Islands students for academic and professional success.
The Island Scholars Program (ISP), an initiative of the TCI Education Foundation, hosted its First Appreciation Night on Wednesday at Pelican Bay Restaurant and Bar in Grace Bay, bringing together educators, government officials, community leaders and supporters to celebrate the program's early achievements and outline plans for future expansion.
Speaking at the event, ISP founder Christel Chantoiseau explained that the program was born from a simple but powerful experience.
"A mother approached me because she wanted her daughter to study in Canada but found the admissions process overwhelming," Chantoiseau said, recalling how she helped guide the student through school selection, admissions, visa requirements and pre-departure preparations. The student is now set to begin her studies in Canada this September and plans to return home as a qualified nurse to serve her community.
Inspired by that success, Chantoiseau partnered with entrepreneur and mentor Ajay Vyas to create a program that could help more students access educational opportunities beyond the islands.
Over the past several months, ISP has delivered free seminars in high schools across Providenciales and South Caicos, focusing on career preparation, post-secondary education opportunities and academic pathways available after high school. The program is expected to expand to North Caicos, Middle Caicos and Grand Turk during the next academic year.
"Talent is universal, but opportunity is not," Chantoiseau told attendees. "Island Scholars Program is here to help bridge that gap."
Minister of Education Rachel Taylor praised the initiative and emphasized the importance of strengthening connections between secondary and tertiary education.
Taylor said the Government currently supports approximately 146 students studying overseas and sees opportunities for collaboration between ISP, the Ministry of Education and the Scholarship Secretariat to better support students before and during their studies abroad.
She also highlighted the need to begin career planning earlier, encouraging students and parents to consider educational pathways as early as third form.
"It has to start even earlier than fifth form," Taylor said, noting that students need guidance when selecting subjects that will ultimately influence their future careers.
Taylor further stressed the value of internships and workplace exposure, revealing that 380 students have already registered for the Ministry's internship and apprenticeship programs this year. She suggested that closer collaboration with ISP could help students connect classroom learning with real-world experience.
Principal of the British West Indies Collegiate, Stuart Haynes, described the program as a "comprehensive incubator for excellence," designed to help students excel academically while preparing them for university admissions, internships and future careers.
"The Island Scholars Programme was born out of a simple yet profound mission to bridge the gap between academic potential and limitless global opportunity," Haynes said.
According to Haynes, the program is already working with Year 9 students to help them make informed subject choices and is assisting older students with résumé writing, interview preparation and internship applications.
Vyas, who co-founded the initiative alongside Chantoiseau, thanked educators, principals and community partners for embracing the program.
"It was just an idea six months ago," he said. "To be able to go out and do it in person, we would never have been able to do it without your support."
As the program prepares to expand throughout the islands, organizers say their goal remains simple: to ensure every student, regardless of background or location, has access to the guidance, mentorship and opportunities needed to reach their full potential.
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