4 Students Handed Tourism Board Scholarships

Four students from across the country were awarded scholarships today courtesy of the Belize Tourism Board. They are all pursuing degrees in various areas of tourism and the overall value of the awards provided to the 2017-2018 cohort is approximately thirty-one thousand dollars.  News Five’s Duane Moody was at a brief ceremony at the B.T.B. office in the city and files this report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

The Belize Tourism Board created a scholarship program that provides aspiring students with the much needed financial support to pursue degrees in different areas of tourism. Today, four additional students from across the country joined the program.

Manuel Heredia Jr.

Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism

“B.T.B. is in charge of the collection of taxes to make sure that we invest it in the tourism industry either in marketing or education or whatever. And today is no exception. For the past couple years, we have been giving these scholarships to students across the country. They invite application from across the country and afterwards there is selecting committee that will look at the merits of the different people that apply and after that, they will come up with the four best applicants overall.”

Herbert Haylock

Herbert Haylock, Director of Quality Assurance and Industry Standards, B.T.B.

“While the immediate rewards touch each student directly and financially by way of covering items such as tuition costs, book costs and fees and other related charges dependent on the award receive, the medium and long term impacts are far greater in value.”

Twenty-two-year-old Rayeli Ake from Corozal is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Belize and the scholarship will allow her to complete her final year of studies. Meanwhile, Norberto Alvarado is a career chef, who will travel on Saturday to Mexico City for a culinary baking course. It was a proud moment for them and their families.

Rayeli Ake

Rayeli Ake, Scholarship Recipient

“I believe it will definitely help me to forward my bachelors in tourism and it is a great way to promote tourism as well in Belize. As I mention, I am doing tourism and I really enjoy promoting my country, especially Corozal. I believe Corozal needs big improvement when it comes to tourism and so I believe that I can assist with that.”

Norberto Alvarado

Norberto Alvarado, Scholarship Recipient

“I love cooking, that’s my passion; cooking and music are two of my passion. I have my degree already in culinary arts International Food and Beverage. And so I see this scholarship again and I said I want to forward my studies so I started to search and contacted some universities in Mexico. I was accepted in two universities. I was accepted in Cordon Bleu, but the course already started over there so I never had chance. But I got accepted to this one I am going right now. It is a baking one; this is Ambrosia, Centro Culinario that’s in Mexico City too.”

The two other scholarship recipients are Emelsi Marin and Cody Roches. Duane Moody for News Five.