When Monique Holder chose agricultural science in high school, she was not choosing between practical skills and academic achievement. Unknowingly, she was preparing herself for both.

Today, the former St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) student is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), where she will begin her second year in September. Earlier this year, she was named the education ministry’s 2025 TVET Student of the Year, earning a two-year scholarship.

For Holder, the award is one of the proudest achievements of her academic journey. Equally proud were her agricultural science teachers, Davia Kettle and Audley Sanson, whose mentorship helped shape her success.