B.H.A. Annual Awards Scholarships for Children of Membership Employees

The Belize Hotel Association held its annual scholarship award ceremony this morning in Belize City. The successful scholarship recipients are all children whose family members are employed at a B.H.A. member hotel or resort. Seven students were selected from eleven applicants. They were awarded tuition scholarships from twenty thousand dollars contributed by donating members. The applicants must maintain good grades throughout their time of study, to keep the scholarship. Here is a brief look at how the award ceremony went.

Reynaldo Malik

Reynaldo Malik, President, Belize Hotel Association

“Really how the scholarship fund works is that it is a separate fund from the general association. So, what we have to do is a separate fundraising to get the necessary finances we need to support the scholarships. So, when we talk about a donor property, the most common example would be, during our most recent general annual meeting, we had an auction. So, these properties who are members of the association, donated things like stays, horseback rides, stuff from the Angelus Press. Some of our allied members also pitched in a couple things as well. When we commit to the scholarship recipient, it is renewed annually, because it is obviously an academic scholarship. So, it is based on them maintain a three point zero average. However, we exercise some leniency, flexibility, these are not the most normal times when it comes to blended study, and online and classroom and all that.”

Kailie Eck,

Kailie Eck, Scholarship Recipient

“So my works at Tropic Air and she told me about the scholarship opportunity. So, I applied and I got it. How helpful will it be to your family and yourself? It is a good opportunity because you know with the whole pandemic and stuff; it has been like a struggle for everybody. So, the scholarship has helped a lot.”

Jaiden Tuyul

Jaiden Tuyul, Scholarship Recipient

“My mother works at B.H.S. which her company recently joined like two years ago. It’s an opportunity for me, which it is just me and my mother. So, it helps her out. It makes us more financially available, to pursue my education.”