And the police officers aren't the only ones giving back to the youths - Leader of the Opposition, Shyne Barrow, has secured a scholarship for one deserving student to attend Howard University in Washington DC.
It's called the Sean Diddy Combs scholarship, because it's funded by a Howard alum and Barrow's buddy, "P Diddy".
And he isn't the only well-known name to come out of one of the most prestigious black Ivy League schools in the US. Other alumni include actor Chadwick Boseman, US Vice President Kamala Harris, author Toni Morrison, and plenty of other notable names.
And Barrow believes that if one young Belizean student from a financially challenged home is able to attend Howard, well, it could mean major progress for Belize.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I was in Los Angeles a few months ago and Diddy always is interested in helping me and I'm always interested in helping Belize so he donated a large amount of money to his alma mater, Howard, I think he does it every year or every other year and so I said, well, listen, I know what the experience in the United States did for me and how it broadened my horizon as a human being, the different cultures, the different people, just the entire different frequency and I said, well, this money is already going to Howard, it would be fantastic if a Belizean, at least one Belizean student, could get the benefit of this experience and a Belizean student who is financially challenged as you could see the criteria, you have to come from a financially challenged household and you have to have at least a 3.0 GPA, you have to write an essay talking about the field you want to pursue and you have to commit to return to Belize and use that degree for the benefit of nation building."
"When we talk about financially challenged, it's not about affording Howard, it's about affording the University of Belize, or to go to Wesley Junior College or SJCJC, so financially challenged means being from a household where parents are making minimum wage, barely putting food on the table and can't necessarily afford, there are some students that graduate sixth form and can't go to UB, can't continue to go to get their Bachelor's, and those are the students we're looking at."
"It's a historically black college, one of the most prestigious in the United States, they've produced some of the greatest talents as you've mentioned, politically, entertainment wise, business, and so this is exactly what I want to give to a Belizean student and I believe that the experience will be life changing and then that student can come back to Belize and empower all the information, all the networking that they've gathered in that experience and one by one they can create a society of people who are thinking different, who are looking at life different."
As you heard Barrow say, the candidate must also have a 3.0 GPA and must write an essay about the field they are pursuing and how they will use the degree to help Belize. They must also return to Belize after they conclude their studies and contribute to the development of the country.
Emails for consideration must be sent to loobarrowbz@gmail.com
