US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association

At their general membership meeting held July 9, the St. Croix Hotel and Tourism Association and the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce awarded $20,000 in scholarship funds to eight local students.

In 2008, the Richard Patrick Henry Hospitality Scholarship was formed to assist local young adults who are embarking on careers in hospitality. Scholarship funds are a partial-product of the annual Holiday Hope Benefit.

This year’s recipients included:

• Paul Arnold III, first time recipient, Virginia State University
• Nneka Boyd, first time recipient, University of the Virgin Islands
• Rukiya Emanuel, third time recipient, Pennsylvania State University
• Neoshia Poleon, third time recipient, University of the Virgin Islands
• Cathriellah Shabazz, third time recipient, University of the Virgin Islands
• Sarah Sookraj, first time recipient, University of the Virgin Islands
• Llewelyn Taylor, first time recipient, University of the Virgin Islands
• Emmaleah Turner, first time recipient, University of the Virgin Islands

Winners received $2,500 each. The winners and/or their parents attended the Hotel and Tourism Association’s general membership meeting to receive their checks and mix/mingle with the local business community, including meeting guest speaker Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

This year’s Holiday Hope Benefit is scheduled for Dec. 3 at the Palms at Pelican Cove. In 2014, over 2,000 toys were donated to local youth organizations, and the funds raised benefitted the Richard Patrick Henry Hospitality Scholarship Fund, the Boys and Girls Club of the Virgin Islands and CASA of the Virgin Islands.