The Social Security Board held its 21st Annual Scholarship Award Ceremony this morning.
The SSB started this scholarship program in 2001 to empower young Belizean students with academic potential but who lack the financial support to afford their education.
Since its inception, the SSB award ceremony has looked after the financial welfare of over a thousand students, with a total payout of over 4 million dollars in funding. This morning, they welcomed 55 more promising scholars to the program. These awardees were selected based on need and merit from a list of over 250 applicants countrywide.
7News attended the ceremony, and we spoke to a few of the awardees:
Marcello Blake - Director, SSB Board
"This year we received 268 online applications from all over the country via our website on the scholarship portal. 117 of that 268 were actually short-listed for the interview process and came from all six districts. The criteria were set and particularly focused on the applicant's financial need and academic potential to complete the program."
"Those 55 scholarships are broken down as follows: 14 vocational technical aspiring professionals, 27 at the high school level, and 14 associate degree hopefuls. 2022 is the year with the highest number of vocational-technical applicants. And we thank you for that."
Daniel Ortiz
"Tell us about that moment when you were told that, hey, you've been accepted."
Driana Hyde - Scholarship Recipient, Belize City
"To be honest, I was out because I'm a person who loved the farm. So I was dealing with my chickens, and I received a phone call from the person. she said, congratulations. So my like, well, congratulations. That yes, congrats you have [been] selected for the award. OMG, I dropped - I had about a dozen eggs, and I must say sorry to my mom because I broke her eggs. I was too excited. Nervous. I didn't know what to say. My mind went blank in shock. I didn't know what to say."
Daniel Ortiz
"Tell us about that moment when you were told, hey, Axel, you get the scholarship."
Axel Novelo - Scholarship Recipient, Orange Walk
"I was actually surprised and happy that not only was a stress reliever because we're going to have to pay a lot."
Marcello Blake
"I see tomorrow's medical professionals, scientists, law enforcement officers, diplomats, artists, business executives, educators, social workers, environmentalists, writers, engineers, computer experts, and lawyers."
"You are the sons and daughters of Belize. We are here today because we have faith in you."
Paul Lopez - 2004 Scholarship Recipient
"This scholarship unlocks the next chapter in your life. It gets you through a door that, otherwise, some of us would not have been able to afford. What a scholarship doesn't do, it doesn't do the work that you must do."
