Seventy students from the Roseau Central constituency have received scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic school year.
The scholarships are a result of a collaboration between the Melissa Skerrit Foundation and the Tranquility Beach Resort Dominica, who gave twenty of the seventy scholarships.
The students received the scholarships as well as school bags at a small ceremony held at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium on Friday, September 4 2020.
Founder of the Melissa Skerrit Foundation, and Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau Central constituency, Honourable Melissa Skerrit says they are committed to the success of students around the island.
“We at the Melissa Skerrit Foundation and as parents in general are committed to giving you the tools to help in your success. Our contribution is not just a donation to each and every one of you but it is a small down payment on the future of a better Dominica. We started with the distribution of 1,600 backpacks with school supplies and today with the Adopt-A-Child Back to School Programme we shall award seventy educational scholarships to deserving students,” Honourable Skerrit stated.
The Member of Parliament says the foundation has always moved towards improving the lives of citizens, noting that focus has been placed on students at all academic levels.
“The Melissa Skerrit foundation has been in operation over the last six years and has always sought to improve the lives of all Dominican citizens. This Adopt-A-Child Back to School program focuses on Dominican students at all educational levels, through the payment of school fees, presentation of school supplies including bags and stationery, and also complete uniform packages. This year, the foundation’s presentation here was supplemented with a donation of ninety-one laptops to students form the Roseau Central constituency. These valuable contributions to our students will certainly make their educational paths easier,” the Member of Parliament noted.
Meanwhile, Director of Tranquility Beach Resort Dominica, Mr. Ian Edwards says they are delighted to collaborate with the Melissa Skerrit foundation to assist with the educational development of Dominican students.
“Tranquility Beach Resort is delighted to join hands with the Melissa Skerrit Foundation in providing scholarships to children through the Adopt-A-Child Back to School program for children and families across our island. This worthy program aim to provide children in need with a gift that will keep on giving, by providing the opportunity to unleash creativity and critical thinking and the necessary tools to access innovative ways to contribute to our island the region and the world,” Mr. Edwards stated.
Mr. Edwards says a country’s human resource is its greatest asset, an asset that should be continuously invested in.
“Funding programs like these create a commitment and investment in our children and our youth, who are equipping themselves to lead and inspire our communities and our own nation in the next generation. Dominica is forging ahead as a world leader in the CBI industry, in climate resilience and other critical areas of sustainable development. Our human resources is our greatest asset but we cannot take it for granted. We must continuously invest in it to compete in this increasingly fluid world,” Mr. Edwards added.
Minister for Education, Human Resource Planning, Vocational Training and National Excellence, Honourable Octavia Alfred encouraged students to be excellent in all that they do.
“Be a person of excellence. Give it your best shot even when no one is looking at you. Imagine how excellence would walk, imagine how excellence would talk, imagine how excellence would dress and be a person of excellence,” Honourable Alfred told the students.