$46,000 in scholarships for deserving children

Training scholarships to the value of $46,157 will be presented to 12 deserving youngsters, aged 11 - 16 years, by Social Services Minister Christine Kangaloo on Wednesday, September 1. The children are from the St Jude’s School for Girls, St Dominic’s Children’s Home, Goshen Home for Boys and Rainbow Rescue. They are beneficiaries of a scholarship programme established by the National Family Services Division, a division of the Office of the Prime Minister, to facilitate higher-level training for deserving residents of traditional children’s homes, industrial schools and other community residences. Areas of training in which the children will be involved include cosmetology, voice/music, music/performing arts, athletics, drama/calypso, swimming, video production/theatre arts, soccer and cricket.

Presentation takes place on Wednesday, September 1 at the National Family Services Division, ABMA Building on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, at 10 am. Object of the scholarship programme is to provide training opportunities for children who displayed an aptitude, potential, or had a natural talent in vocational skills, sporting disciplines or the performing arts. The programme is ongoing and will continue next year when another 12 children would receive grants to a maximum of $10,000 per child. Additionally Kangaloo will on Wednesday present awards and trophies to winners whose compositions best promoted positive family values at Carnival 2004. The competitions from which the most appropriate compositions were chosen were Rapso, Young King Calypso Monarch, National Queen Calypso Monarch and National Chutney Monarch. It was a project of the National Action Cultural Committee (NACC) in partnership with the National Family Services Division to commemorate the International Year of the Family.