GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Ingrid Arrindell, would like to congratulate Jacinth Hunkins (15), a student of St. Maarten Academy for her first placement in the gold senior division of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) 2016 FCCA Foundation Children's Essay Competition.
The competition invited students from schools around the Caribbean and Latin America to submit essays and then awards the students and schools to help further their education. In total, this year's contest will provide nearly $20,000 to the participating students and their schools.
First-place winners and their schools will receive $3,000 academic scholarships, and the winners and a chaperone will be invited to accept their prizes at the FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference & Trade Show Opening Ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday, September 26.
This year's essay contest attracted entries from 21 countries, who wrote what they would want to see and do in their destination as a cruise passenger. All the essays showcased the students' excellence in writing, as well as knowledge of their destination and the ability to entice the FCCA readers to experience new things.
Minister Arrindell would like to highlight that the FCCA’s Essay Competition shed light on the fact that St. Maarten proves to be the preferred cruise destination in the Eastern Caribbean.
\"It is an absolute honor to have a young St. Maartener write and share her point of view on the cruise destination St Maarten and this shows how passionate we can be about our Island and what we can offer our visitors. The FCCA’s Essay competition is a great acknowledgement of destination St. Maarten and the readers will get a chance to read and experience St. Maarten from a fresh, youthful perspective.” said Minister Arrindell.
First, second and third place was awarded to participants from the junior division, consisting of students between nine- and 12-years-old, and the senior division, featuring students between 13 and 16.The FCCA Foundation provides a tangible mechanism for the cruise industry to fund a range of humanitarian causes in Caribbean and Latin American destinations.
The Ministry of TEATT would like to thank the FCCA Foundation for their continued efforts to help our students and subsequently, our tourism product.
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMinister of Tourism Arrindell Congratulates St. Maarten Academy Student Hunkins for First Placement in FCCA Essay Competition.
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