Edison Stephens was the star saver at this year’s National Schools’ Co-operative Awards saving over $3,000.

The young saver was awarded the Overall Student Award at the 5th annual awards ceremony. The ceremony was held at the Peace Memorial Hall on Monday, October 12, 2009.{{more}}

Stephens, a student of the Fair Hall Government School, was among eighty-seven students awarded at the ceremony. The students represented eighty-seven schools around St. Vincent and the Grenadines which have a students’ co-operative programme. The schools together contribute just over half a million dollars to the co-operative development of the country. The programme began over thirty years ago, with the Girls’ High School.

Several speeches were made at the ceremony, most of which congratulated the students on their efforts in saving and encouraged them to continue doing so.

Giving welcoming remarks, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Mobilisation Rosita Snagg said that the ceremony’s purpose is to acknowledge the financial achievements of the school co-operatives and to highlight to students the importance of saving.

Minister of National Mobilisation Mike Browne in his feature address said that the ministry will continue to give school co-operatives prominence. Browne spoke of the projects being done by the ministry, and also urged the co-operatives to support projects in the schools.

The top savers in the eighty-seven schools were awarded. Five students received the Minister’s Award for the top thrift students; several were also awarded the Youth Comprehensive Saver Awards. Biana Prince was awarded for being the youngest saver with the highest savings award. Awards were also given to the top ten school co-operatives and the teachers’ guides of the co-operatives in those schools.

The award ceremony was the first major event of the Credit Union Week 2009. It was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the SVG Co-operative Credit Union League and the affiliates. The week began on Sunday, October 11, 2009, with the theme “Our money, our choice, our Credit Union.”