BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – July 7, 2026 – A decades-long commitment to nurturing young community leaders reached a meaningful milestone Tuesday, as two local graduating primary school students were named the 2026 recipients of the Sonia Boddie Promising Youth Leader Scholarship.
At an intimate ceremony hosted at Edgar T. Morris Primary School in the coastal Tabernacle Village, benefactor Sonia Boddie-Thompson officially awarded certificates and monetary grants to the two new honorees, Tanella Welcome and Josiah Finch. The award is designed specifically to support students transitioning from primary to secondary education, covering early education costs including school uniforms, textbooks and other learning supplies.
For Boddie-Thompson, this year’s award cycle carries extra personal significance. Tuesday’s ceremony fell 30 years to the period after she graduated as valedictorian from the same campus, which was known as Tabernacle Primary School at the time of her graduation. The institution, she says, was foundational in shaping her personal and professional growth, and launching her scholarship initiative 13 years ago was her way of giving back to the community that lifted her up.
“This is the thirteenth year that I have been awarding this scholarship, and I am extremely happy to be able to continue providing this assistance to deserving students,” Boddie-Thompson shared during the event. “This year is particularly special because it marks 30 years since I graduated as valedictorian of this school… which has played a significant role in shaping the woman I have become. It is therefore my prayer that this scholarship will motivate the awardees to continue striving for excellence and inspire them to pay it forward one day.”
Boddie-Thompson went on to reaffirm her unwavering commitment to supporting the school and its students, saying she intends to continue funding and awarding the annual scholarship for the rest of her life.
Dale Phipps, principal of Edgar T. Morris Primary School, extended his gratitude to Boddie-Thompson for her consistent generosity and long-standing collaborative partnership with the school. Since the scholarship was first launched in 2014, it has now provided financial assistance to 36 local students making the critical transition to secondary education, removing financial barriers that could otherwise hinder their academic progress.
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