B.T.L. awards high school scholarships
A break in B.T.L.’s fibre optic cable cut off all telecommunications to Belmopan today, shutting down services to the nation’s capital as well as any function dependent on the earth station. So aside from being unable to call our friends in government for most of the day, the fault also sidelined vital computer networks used by airlines, banks and other high volume customers. The problem was due to be fixed this evening. Despite the bad situation, B.T.L. proceeded with a ceremony in Belize City honouring the recipients of company sponsored scholarships. Jacqueline Woods reports from the Radisson.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The fourteen students were chosen from among five hundred applicants who competed to receive B.T.L.’s 2002 high school scholarships.
Suzette Tillett, Manager, B.T.L. Public Relations Dept.
“Well, this programme started about eleven years ago in 1991 and since then it has grown significantly. And it’s a part of our stay in school campaign. As a matter of fact, it’s the biggest part of our stay in school campaign, where we have seventy-five students on this programme that we maintain for their full four years of high school.”
To date over two hundred students have benefited from the programme. At today’s ceremony, Paul Haylock, a 2001 graduate of St. John’s College., shared with the students his own experience as a past recipient of the programme.
Paul Haylock, 1997 Scholarship Recipient
“The day I received a call from B.T.L., my whole life changed. I had been one of the lucky students that received a B.T.L. scholarship. I realised that this was my opportunity, an opportunity to continue my education, do the best I could do and make my parents proud of me. And with that I graduated with honours from St. John’s College.”
Suzette Tillett, Manager of B.T.L.’s Public Relations Department encouraged the new recipients to do just as well as Haylock did in his studies at school.
Suzette Tillett
“We just want to encourage them to continue with their hard work, because they are hardworking students, and they have a lot of ambition. And this is something that we don’t just give the scholarship and then we forget about you. We have a continued programme where we give them continuous support, whether they need extra help in whatever, if they need to use the Internet and so forth. So we’re basically here not only to support financially, but to also give a rounded support in their educational years.”
Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
The B.T.L. scholarships are awarded based on financial need, academic performance and ambition for further self development.
