SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
2022 GEMSTAR SCHOLARSHIP
FOR BLACK STUDENTS

SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
2022 GEMSTAR SCHOLARSHIP
FOR BLACK STUDENTS

GEMSTAR SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Initiated by Playmas Montreal Cultural Association, and sponsored by BMO Bank of
Montreal under the Bank’s Black Entrepreneur Program, the GemStar Scholarship Fund
has been established. The brainchild of Gemma Raeburn-Baynes, President of Playmas
Montreal, the scholarship fund will disburse annually, beginning in Fall 2022, three
scholarship awards of $1,500 each to deserving Black high school students on the island
of Montreal, Quebec.

PURPOSE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

The Gemstar scholarship awards are dedicated to promoting academic excellence and
youth involvement in the Black community. To be eligible for the scholarship, each
student applicant must be:

• A Canadian citizen or landed immigrant
• A Grade 11 student of high academic standing
• A member of the Black community with demonstrated involvement in the community

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Eleven high schools throughout Montreal will participate in the promotion and student
application process. Application forms will be made available to all prospective students
at their respective institutions and on the playmasmontreal.com website. Student
applications will be considered only if they are duly completed and submitted before
the deadline of 5:00 p.m. on September 22, 2022.

On receipt of students’ applications, the respective school administration and guidance
counsellors will nominate two eligible students for consideration by the GemStar
Selection Committee.

All applications must include the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Name of High school

In addition, each applicant must provide:

• A curriculum vitae
• Transcripts of current and last completed academic year
• A 2-page statement outlining the applicant’s career aspirations, nature and extent of community involvement, suitability and “fit” for the scholarship, and how the scholarship award will assist in the pursuit of higher education
• Two (2) letters of recommendation, one of which must be written by one of the applicant’s teachers.

All required documents must be typewritten and sent by e-mail to:

PlaymasMontreal@gmail.com.

For more information, please feel free to contact us at (514) 620-6612.

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

Recipients of the GemStar scholarships will be presented on September 29, 2022, at a
reception hosted by BMO. Award recipients will be introduced to Black entrepreneurs
and BMO executives at the BMO reception.
Scholarships will be presented to the winners at their respective High School Graduation
Ceremonies.