Why 2024 public speaking 2nd place winner yet to receive her prize?

A year after securing second place in the 2024 School’s Public Speaking Competition organized by the Lions Club, Samarah Lynch, a student from Mountain View Adventist Academy (MVAA), is still awaiting her promised EC$3,000 prize. The delay has ignited widespread concerns about fairness, transparency, and integrity in the handling of competition awards. Lynch, who dedicated weeks of preparation to achieve her runner-up position, was informed in 2025 by a representative of Flow, one of the sponsors, that she could not receive the cash prize because she was not enrolled in a local college in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Instead, she had been accepted to the University of the Southern Caribbean. This condition, which was never disclosed during the competition, came as a shock to Lynch and her family. Adding to the controversy, all other participants reportedly received their prizes without issue, further fueling frustration and disappointment. Lynch’s parents have made multiple attempts to resolve the matter with both Flow and the Lions Club, but to no avail. Reports suggest that Flow and the Lions Club reached an agreement to award Lynch her prize after the family threatened to publicize the issue on social media. However, as of now, the prize remains unpaid, with the family being repeatedly told to ‘call back.’ The incident has sparked broader discussions about accountability and consistency in managing competition prizes. Some community members speculate that the promise to pay Lynch was a strategic move to avoid negative publicity ahead of the 2025 Public Speaking Competition, which took place recently. Beyond the monetary aspect, the situation raises critical questions about principles and integrity, particularly how young people can be taught honesty and fairness when authority figures seemingly change rules at will. While the Lions Club has been praised for its commitment to youth development through initiatives like this competition, critics emphasize the importance of clear rules and honoring commitments. The hope remains that Lynch will eventually receive the prize she rightfully earned, and that this incident will serve as a lesson in upholding fairness and transparency in future competitions.