BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN its continuous support to the academic development of the nation’s youth, the Social Security Board has awarded this year’s Susanna Lee High School Scholarship to 11 more primary school graduates and seven secondary school graduates who will be progressing to the Sixth Form.
The event was held on Monday afternoon (Sept. 21) at the balcony of the E. St. John Payne Annex on Liverpool Row, and among those present were Nevis Premier Hon. Vance Amory, who is also the Federal Minister with responsibility for Social Security; Director of the Social Security Board Sephlin Lawrence; a number of other Board Members; the awardees and their parents/guardians.
The 11 primary school awardees, now secondary school students, are Zanique Williams, Sabrina Naraine, Shaniah Flemming, J’Simba Mitcham, Wrenzanae Thomas, Shomar Bowry, Jacquan Clarke, Fiquesha Garnette, Charlyn Myers, Steve Walters and Raziq Charles, while those advancing to the Sixth Form are Khijanna Huggins, Kieshmoy Hutchinson, Phelicity Woodley, Kishma Dunrod, Leandra Browne, Jeman Davis and Zarina Alcendor.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the Social Security Board Maritza Bowry told the gathering that the Social Security Administration and Board were honoured and proud to continue their commitment to education in St. Kitts and Nevis.
She briefly spoke to the history of the Scholarship Programme, noting that it began in 1983 and since then some EC$150M had been invested in the lives and education of the nation’s youth.
“We are happy to say that we have positively impacted the lives of 188 students over the last 32 years by scholarships for secondary education and 31 students who have received university financial assistance,” she added.
Bowry explained that the vision of the Social Security is to become the most sustainable and secure financial institution of the Federation. “We believe that the investment in human capital is critical to our development. It is our narrative to build a better community, so we invest in students so that they are equipped with the tools necessary to become the true architect of their life.”
The Chairperson made reference to a number of scholarship recipients, including herself, among whom are now educators and key leaders in the Federation’s Government.
“Many of you may not know that the Honourable Mark Brantley, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, was awarded the first Social Security Secondary Scholarship in 1983 when he entered Third Form.”
Every scholarship awardee was issued a certificate and one of their parents or guardians was required to sign a commitment agreement, promising to accept full responsibility with respect to helping their child or ward to ascribe to the set standards of the Social Security Board award towards academic success.
It was stated that since the establishment of the Scholarship Committee in 1989, the value of the scholarship had increased from $300 to $500 for Second, Fourth and Fifth Forms students, and $750 for First and Third Forms students to assist them in coping with the increasing cost of books and uniforms.
Among the criteria for eligibility to this scholarship, the student must be attending a government primary school and should not be older than 13 years. He or she must show evidence of high academic promise and the award will be based on the National Test of Standards, among other things.
Additionally and of utmost importance, the student must be experiencing financial difficulties in acquiring a sound education.
According to Claudine Saunders, Chairperson of the Scholarship Committee, before a student could be awarded the scholarship, the Committee would be presented a pool of names of the applicants from the various primary schools on both St. Kitts and Nevis.
She explained that the Committee would go through the list with emphasis on the financial needs of each student.
Saunders also explained that once selected, student must maintain a pass grade of 70 percent and above during their tenure of the scholarship, and that they should be enrolled in at least one extra-curricular activity, which would be beneficial to their overall personal development.
She pointed out that the Social Security Board appoints mentors to the students with the aim of assisting those who might encounter difficulty in certain subjects, especially Mathematics and English.
The event was also used to honour one of the long-standing mentors, Susanna Lee, who was presented a token of appreciation by the Director of the Social Security Board for her contribution to the Scholarship Programme.
“There is no doubt that your valued contribution catapulted the programme to what it is today. Many students who exited the programme and are adding value to the economy owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Lee. So the token that we are going to give her today is by no means reward for her service or is it indicative of the value of such work. We cannot repay her,” the Director said.
