Mavis Addo wins 7th Webb of Excellence Award

FOR the seventh consecutive year, the Webb of Excellence Scholarship Fund, set up exclusively to better the lot of female students of Ada Senior High School, has honoured its promise in grand style.

Miss Mavis Naa Adoley Addo, who emerged the best female student of Ada Senior High School in the 2022 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), is the proud winner of the 2022-2023 award, and she was presented with a cheque for Ghc4,000 at a simple but colourful ceremony organized at the SSNIT Guest House last Saturday (May 27, 2023).

Presenting the award, Dr Gabriel Ofoe Canacoo, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the scheme, explained that the package covers Academic User Fee and Residential Fee of Mavis Addo at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, where she has been offered admission to study Business Administration.

Dr Canacoo added that in subsequent years at the University, the Fund will support Miss Addo financially with some graduated sum of money provided she obtains a B Average Grading or higher at the end of every year in the course she is pursuing.

He advised the award winner not to get carried away by university life but to get glued to her studies “always remembering that you are there to carve a niche for yourself, your family and your nation”.

Dr Canacoo disclosed that previous winners of the award were all doing well in their various fields of study, adding that “the very first recipients of the Tertiary Support Award were on course to receive First Class Honours or 2^nd Class Upper, at worse, when they graduate at the University of Ghana this year.

In her acceptance speech, Mavis Addo paid glowing tribute to the teachers of Ada Senior High School for not only preparing her adequately for the 2022 WASSCE, but also imparting knowledge to her from the very moment she stepped foot in the school until her departure just last year.

“I am totally flabbergasted; I am amazed at how things have quickly changed in my life after three short years at Ada Senior High School. And the big lesson I have learnt from all of this is that in the ladder of life, it does not matter where you find yourself at one time or the other; what really matters, to my mind, is you make good use of the opportunities that are available,” she added.

Miss Addo also expressed her deep gratitude to the Founder of the Award, Ms Eleanor Louise Webb, a Canadian volunteer who taught at the school between 1968 and 1970.

“Indeed, when I ponder over the humble beginnings of this award – the fact that Miss Webb, without any hesitation whatsoever, decided to invest some 3,000 Canadian Dollars bequeathed to her by her late Auntie into a Scholarship Scheme for Brilliant Female Students of the Ada Senior High School – I’m not only deeply touched by the wonderful gesture but I strongly believe that such a rare Christ-like example of love, kindness and grace can only come from the bosom of a virtuous woman,” she declared.

In a chat with the award winner via WhatsApp video, shortly after she was presented with her prize, the Founder, Ms Eleanor Webb, urged Miss Addo to uphold the confidence reposed in her by making giant strides in her chosen field of study.

“Don’t let anything distract you from your studies. Burn the midnight oil as much as you and the world will be at your beck and call when you distinguish yourself. It won’t be easy, but when all is said and done, you’ll be glad you did,” Miss Webb added.

On behalf of the school, Mr Mathew Honu, the Assistant Headmaster (Academic) of Ada Senior High, congratulated Miss Addo for excelling in the WASSCE but reminded her that the task ahead was even more arduous, adding that “with determination and commitment, nothing will thwart your efforts”.

He also thanked Miss Webb for instituting the award and urged other past tutors of the school as well as well-wishers to emulate her example.