RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. has presented the 2009 RenaissanceRe Scholarship Award to Saltus Grammar School graduate Ellisse Johnston.

Ms Johnston will be attending Pennsylvania State University this Autumn to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Neill Currie, president and CEO of RenaissanceRe, said: "We are committed to supporting young Bermudians with energy and vision in their pursuit of excellence. Ellisse is a remarkable young woman, whose accomplishments and determination have already impacted the community very positively.

"I am delighted to present the 2009 RenaissanceRe Scholarship Award to Ellisse and I have every confidence that she will have a successful and enriching university experience."

The RenaissanceRe Scholarship was created to encourage young Bermudians to pursue excellence in higher education at an accredited institution abroad. The scholarship is tenable for a period of up to four years of study and is intended to support four years of tuition, books, and airfare from Bermuda, with no restriction on the field of study.

The recipient is selected by RenaissanceRe's Scholarship Selection Committee. Comprised of Bermudian employees from across the organisation, the committee determines selection criteria, reviews applications, and interviews candidates.

Ms Johnston graduated this year from Saltus Grammar School having completed the Saltus Graduate Year Programme with five advanced placement classes.

In addition to excelling in academics, she has contributed fully to every facet of school life through her roles as head girl, co-president of the Student Council, co-editor in chief of the Saltus Shaker, and peer tutor and co-president of the Peer Tutoring programme.

Ms Johnston has also carried out volunteer work at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo with the Dollars for Hours programme, and at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit, diabetes, and pharmacy departments.

Her personal qualities and accomplishments led her to winning the leadership category of the Teen Services Awards.