From Valedictorian to Second Lieutenant: St Ignatius Secondary’s Rhema Rennie now Second Lieutenant Rennie

St Ignatius Secondary School proudly celebrated one of its outstanding alumnae, Rhema Rennie, Class of 2020, posting their salute to Officer Rhema Rennie on social media, describing her as a shining example of leadership, courage, and vision.

Rennie is one of 30 officers who graduated from the Standard Officer Course 56, of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and one of seven women.
According to the post, Rennie first made her mark as Miss Rupununi 2019 and as her Class Valedictorian, representing excellence both in and out of the classroom.
“Today, she continues to make us proud as Second Lieutenant in the Standard Officer Course 56 (SOC 56) with the Guyana Defence Force,” the post added.
Reflecting on her journey, Rennie shared with her alma mater: “Having come this far in the GDF gives me a very rewarding feeling. It was a very rigorous two-year course and very challenging being away from home, but I was encouraged knowing that I’d be the first female GDF officer from Region Nine and that many persons back home were cheering for me.” Her ambitions are as inspiring as her achievements. Rennie hopes to serve as one of the first female officers on the border units, while also pursuing studies in psychology and language.
And with determination still burning strong, she continues to work toward her school-days dream of becoming President of Guyana. To current students, especially the young women of St Ignatius, Rennie offers this heartfelt advice: “Don’t get too comfortable in your surroundings and think you’re too young or too shy to accomplish something. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, or who you know. Your hard work will speak for itself in the end.” The Standard Officers’ Course, conducted at the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School, has long been the cradle of military leadership in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.
The presence of seven women among the newly commissioned officers was hailed as a milestone in the ongoing modernisation and diversification of the GDF. It reflects, President Ali said, a commitment to inclusion, leadership, and equal opportunity.
“These women have demonstrated that courage and competence know no gender,” Dr Ali noted. “They stand today as an inspiration to young women across Guyana – proving that service, leadership, and excellence are for all.”