Building and Loan grants two new scholarships, replenishes 19

The St Vincent Building and Loan Association (SVBLA) on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 offered two merit scholarships, and replenished amounts for the 19 scholarship holders they currently have in their programme, spanning different educational levels.

Ava Weekes, Customer Servicer Manager

The merit-based scholarships are valued at $1,200 per year through Forms 1-3; $1,400 per year through Forms 4-5, as well as years 1 and 2 at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC).

Breaking from tradition, in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, the financial institution awarded 14 bursaries this year, alongside their two merit scholarships.

Customer Service Manager, Ava Weekes, serves as the connection between students and SVBLA, providing year-round support and guidance. She explained that the institution promotes a bond to continue supporting the students’ development academically and in areas such as sports, music, and the arts.

Weekes urged the scholarship recipients to exceed the 65 per cent benchmark set by SVBLA, and mentioned the institution’s commitment to providing on-the-job experience to CSEC graduates.

She said two of their scholarship holders had the opportunity during July and August, 2024, to get on-the-job experience and exposure at SVBLA, “So that’s something for you to look forward to in years to come, because having the book smarts is great; being able to apply it in everyday living, life, and work— its about making that a reality.”

During the ceremony, Dr Tamira Browne, and Dr Ken Onu delivered addresses highlighting the importance of mindset, personal growth, and success strategies.

The thrust of Onu’s motivational speech focussed on ‘Thoughts’, ‘Actions’, and ‘Results,’ prompting reflection on the correlation between mindset, actions, and outcomes.

The audience was tasked with filling in the blanks with the volunteers’ names. Onu did this to explain the importance of a mindset and how it impacts actions and results.

“So this is where the analogy can be drawn. You heard that your thoughts create your reality. This is a perfect example of young children and parents to make you understand that if you have a bad thought, it will lead to bad actions, which will lead to bad results; but if you start with good thoughts, it will lead to good actions, which will lead to good results. So, therefore, the culprit is thoughts.”

The Ophthalmologist advised the audience to curate their social circles wisely, highlighting the influence of companionship on personal growth. “You are the sum total of the five people you hang around, so think about it. Who are the five people you hang around? And if they’re not the right people, if they’re not moving you towards where you want to go, they’re moving you away from where you want to go.”

Onu, who co-authored the book ‘The Art and Science of Success’, also encouraged the recipients to reframe their thinking from- ‘I’ve heard this already’, to ‘How can this work for me? as a way to promote personal growth and change.