One Cedarbridge student learned on Tuesday that hard-work and dedication really can have big pay offs ?including a brand new laptop computer.

Third year student, Adrian Fiddes was awarded the computer from Gateway Systems Limited in recognition of his outstanding final marks in his Communications class.

?We salute Adrian today,? said Cedarbridge principal Kalmar Richards. ?He not only proved himself worthy of this laptop computer, but he demonstrated qualities of perseverance, dedication to duty and steadfastness.?

The prize was a result of a challenge his teacher, Roger LaChaine, posed to any third year student who promised a laptop computer to any student who finished their final communications project with a grade of 95 percent or above.

Seeing the potential to accomplish something big, Adrian stepped up to Mr. LaChaine?s challenge.

In fact, by spending many lunchtime and afterschool hours on his project, which he described as a multimedia journal, Adrian surpassed the 95 per cent mark by two extra points finishing the class with a grade of 97 per cent.

?I kept on editing my work, having my teacher look at it, and then doing it over again.

He was kind of like a newspaper editor for me,? said Adrian, who plans to study either engineering or graphic design when he graduates from Cedarbridge next year.

?But this laptop is really going to help me with my school work now. I think every student should have one?

In fact that?s what the Ministry of Tourism, Telecommunications and E-Commerce are working towards. This coming from Nigel Hickson, the E-commerce consultant for Minister Rene Webb.

?Information Technology is an essential fact of today?s world, and it is incumbent on our education institutions that they equip students with the fundamental elements of Information Technology,? he said.

Siting a recent international summit he attended in Geneva, Mr. Hickson pointed out that the United Nations has set out the goal of equipping every student world wide with a laptop in the near future.

?This is an incredible goal, but one which we in Bermuda are well on our way of reaching,? said Mr. Hickson.

This award ceremony marked the joining of Bermuda?s Public and Private sectors through the Bermuda Technological Education Collaborative (B.TEC) which brokered the arrangement with Gateway Systems Limited and the Ministry of Tourism, Telecommunication and E-Commerce to make the award possible.