Eight High School Students Awarded Lions Scholarships
The Lions Club stepped up big time on Wednesday night providing scholarships to a group of students. After a thorough view of applications, eight students were selected to receive the scholarships and will now proceed to high schools across the country. The main criteria was based on financial need but the students will have to maintain an average B grade to continue to benefit. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was present at the Lions Club on Princess Margaret Drive for the ceremony and files the following report.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
With the start of a new academic calendar earlier this week, secondary school students are still adjusting to new classrooms and teachers. They’re also finalizing tuition and other related expenses. For eight students, financial assistance in the form of scholarships awarded through the Lions Club could not come at a more opportune time.
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez, Chair, Lions Scholarship Program
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez
“This year we have ventured into a new project and the project is about giving back to the community through scholarships and so we were approached a couple weeks back by an NGO from the States called International Assist and with International Assist, they had said that they wanted to help to alleviate poverty in Belize. And by alleviating poverty they wanted to provide some scholarships.”
And with that, a call for applications was made. Students from all over the country responded to the opportunity. In the end, assistance was awarded to students with the most financial needs.
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez
“We have given eight scholarships to deserving students in Belize for approximately one thousand, two hundred dollars, first form students.”
Isani Cayetano
“Now how were these kids selected to become recipients of the scholarship?”
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez
“Well of course they had to fill out an application form. They had to submit their Standard Four, Standard Five and Standard Six report cards. They had to send in a recommendation letter from the teacher of from the principal of the school that they went to.”
While students and parents were busy filling out forms, Dara Robinson was also preparing for the new school year. He quietly runs a feeding programme from his home in the King’s Park area. The Lions Club also chose him as a recipient of its funding efforts since Robinson has been instrumental in making sure that underprivileged students are given a proper meal while at school.
Dara Robinson, Dara’s Feeding Programme
Dara Robinson
“I’m always grateful. I think we deh three years now and even the programe shelter weh I have, the material was donated by Lions Club, you know, and the new thing weh dehn di sign on to now, last year dehn give me wahn hundred and fifty dollars every month towards mi program and dis year dehn increase it by fifty dollars weh dehn give two hundred dollars every month now fi ten months, you know. I’m always grateful fu whatever organization and thing dat try help with the program because a little goes a long way, you know.”
According to the chair of the scholarship programme, Dr. Alaine Gonzalez, it is their hope that the students can remain eligible to continue receiving the assistance on a yearly basis.
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez
“We want to extend this scholarship for at least four years and for us to extend the scholarship for four years, they have to maintain at least a B average or above every semester. So the semester has a mid-semester and a semester. Each year has two semesters, so they would have to have at least a B average and above so they can be qualified for the scholarship for the following year.”
Isani Cayetano reporting for News Five.
