Denisha Fields-Caleb is the Central Bank of Barbados’ 2026 SPISE Scholarship Recipient

Denisha Fields-Caleb, a 16-year-old student at Queens College, is preparing for an exciting new chapter after being named the Central Bank of Barbados' 2026 Students Programme for Science and Engineering (SPISE) scholarship recipient. 

Denisha’s journey officially begins on July 5, when she will participate in the five-week SPISE programme offered by the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF). The programme is dedicated to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and exposes students to university-level courses. It will be held at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. 

Denisha has always had a passion for engineering and scientific discovery. Her interest in STEM began at a young age, as she became intrigued by how the world around her worked. Seeing people accomplish what once seemed impossible, such as going to the moon and developing major innovations through engineering really inspired her to desire a future career in science and engineering. 

This passion continues to influence different aspects of her life as she balances an average of A's while actively participating in several extracurricular activities including Science, Math, Environment and Health clubs. 

When she learned that she was selected, Denisha was excited about the opportunity to interact with students from across the Caribbean. Her family, friends, and teachers were equally thrilled by the news, particularly given the large number of applicants from across the region. “They were all happy for me,” she said. “They congratulated me. It was a happy moment for all of us.” 

Through this elite programme, Denisha hopes to broaden her knowledge of STEM, gain valuable experience, and develop clarity about her future career path. She believes that this programme will provide her with opportunities to connect with students across the region and build mentorship relationships. “I would like to deepen my understanding and love for science.” 

Although excited by the opportunity, Denisha acknowledges that she feels a little intimidated by the academic intensity as she will be exposed to university-level courses rather than CXC-level material she is accustomed to. However, she does not plan for this fear to take over and has mechanisms to cope with. “I do plan to speak with TAs [teaching assistants] whenever I see anything I don’t understand.” She said. She also intends to “listen to music and maybe just go for walks if I'm feeling very stressed.” 

Denisha expressed deep gratitude for the Central Bank's commitment to developing STEM in Barbados and acknowledging it as an area that is worth investing. “The Central Bank sees STEM as an area to fund.”  she shared, “They see the need for it in the Caribbean, and they support its development.”. She recognises that not everyone has the means to attend or participate in opportunities or programmes such as SPISE, noting that support such as this allows young people to pursue their dreams without worrying about financial barriers." Just having that backing and support means a lot because people will be able to achieve their dreams without having to worry about financial barriers." 

She urges other young people to pursue opportunities fearlessly, emphasising that despite challenges facing STEM development in the Caribbean, there are still many pathways to achieve their dreams. 

2026-07-01