The future of Cat Island is beginning to look brighter, as the Cat Island Sailing Club Association awarded five students with scholarships to attend the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).
President of the association, Pat Strachan, believes that the club should be known beyond being a group of people organizing a regatta, but rather as a group that ought to do things for the Cat Island community that leaves a lasting impression and helps it to grow.
“When you educate an individual, you cannot take that away. We hope the recipients will return and help to rebuild Cat Island. We want them to help in the development of Cat Island,” said Mr. Strachan.
The recipients include: Annfernique Stubbs, Office Assistant major; Kiana Brown, Cosmetology; Dario Russell, Welding and both Quincy Cepoudy and Kentone Brown, Electrical Installation. They all have landed $500 scholarships.
BTVI’s president, Dr. Robert W. Robertson, thanked Mr. Strachan and the association for its assistance and urged the scholarship recipients to take advantage of the opportunity.
A 2014 recipient of the award and Electrical Installation major, Arley Merzius, took time to attend the event, encouraging his fellow students to remain focused and not to take the scholarship for granted.
“I am grateful for the scholarship from the Cat Island Sailing Association. It shows that it cares for the further development of the island and its young people. It also proves that they have confidence in BTVI,” said Arley, who recently landed a job at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).
This is the third consecutive year that the association has provided scholarships to Cat Island natives, with the help of The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC). Mr. Strachan is confident that the students represent the future of Cat Island and are worth the investment.
Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI)
Pictured seated from left to right are: Office Assistant major, Annfernique Stubbs; BTVI president, Dr. Robert W. Robertson and Cosmetology major, Kiana Brown. Standing from left to right are: the association’s Scholarship Chairman, Aliea Rolle; BTVI’s Associate Vice President of Fund Development, Alicia Thompson; association treasurer, Andrea Sturrup; association president, Pat Strachan and Electrical Installation major, Kentone Brown. Also present (far right), was Arley Merzius, a 2014 scholarship recipient. Missing are Dario Russell, Welding and Quincy Cepoudy, Electrical Installation.
