It's a huge field --110 finalists -- but in the final analysis, only one person will walk away with the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year title, a $6,500 scholarship and a laptop computer -- their share of a prize purse totaling $146,000 in scholarship donation money and prizes.

The Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation, with the Nassau, Bahamas Pan-Hellenic Council will announce the winner at the 20th Annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Golden Gates World Outreach Ministries International, Carmichael Road.

The first runner-up will receive $5,000, a scholarship and a laptop; while the next five runners-up will receive $3,000 and a laptop; with the seventh place finalist taking home a $3,000 scholarship and a tablet. The eighth and ninth place finalists each receive a $3,000 scholarship; with the tenth place finalist taking home a $2,500 scholarship.

Eleven students (11th through the 21st place finalists) will receive a $2,000 scholarship each; 18 finalists will receive $1,500 each; with 35 semi-finalists taking home a $1,000 scholarship each.

All nominees will receive medals of honor from Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling, on Thursday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Government House.

During the lead-up to the finale, the nominees will engage in a number of relaxing events including touring the National Art Gallery on Sunday, May 15 at 3 pm and Friday, May 20 at 3:30 p.m.; and engage in a day of bowling at Mario's Bowling & Entertainment Palace on Saturday, May 21, before the student of the year award ceremony.

This year's field is a far cry from the 31 students representing private and public school students in New Providence that comprised the first award program in June 1997. Vashti Darling, a 10-year-old sixth grade student at St. John's College was selected the first Primary School Student of the Year in 1997.

The Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation was officially established with $5000 from the Nassau, Bahamas Pan-Hellenic Council and a $6,000 grant from the First Caribbean International Bank.

Since its inception, the BPSSYF has given away $959,250 in scholarship money and $245,950 in prizes, and has had 1,959 student nominees.

The Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Awards Program is a premier national awards recognition program for sixth grade students. It was introduced by Ricardo P. Deveaux, charter president of the Nassau, Bahamas Pan-Hellenic Council, and was designed to salute the achievements of younger scholars.

Deveaux had been impressed with the prestigious Florida College Student of the Year Awards Program sponsored by Florida Leader Magazine and Oxendine Publishing Company and felt he needed to establish a national awards program at home. Ricardo was one of seven finalists in the 1992 Florida College Student of the Year Awards Program.

In November 1996, the idea of the student of the year program was submitted to the Council for acceptance. It immediately received endorsements from four educators who were serving as executive council members at the time -- Sharon Poitier (Alpha Kappa Alpha), Anastacia Brown (Delta Sigma Theta), Carolynn Hall-Knowles (Delta Sigma Theta) and Garnell Rolle (Zeta Phi Beta), and the Nassau Bahamas Pan-Hellenic Council. The program also received endorsement of then Senator Dame Dr. Ivy Dumont, minister of education.

In October 1998, the National Pan-Hellenic Council-Southern Region selected the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Awards Program as the most outstanding original program. It was the first international award by the Nassau, Bahamas Council.

Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Awards past winners
1997 - Vashti Darling, St. John's College Prep, New Providence
1998 - Andrea Moultrie, St. John's College Prep, New Providence
1999 - Tiffany Moncur, Carmichael Primary School, New Providence
2000 - Sasha Bain, Walter Parker Primary School, Grand Bahama
2001 - Kenny Roberts, Spanish Wells All Age School, Eleuthera
2002 - Zachary Lyons, Queen's College Primary, New Providence
2003 - Tanielle Curtis, Sts. Francis & Joseph Catholic Primary, New Providence
2004 - Saul Salonga, Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Grand Bahama
2005 - Shirdat Jadoo, Maurice Moore Primary, Grand Bahama
2006 - George Zonicle, Bahamas Academy of SDA, New Providence
2007 - Taran Carey, Tarpum Bay Primary School, Eleuthera
2008 - James Boyce, Hope Town Primary School, Abaco
2009 - Khes Adderley, Temple Christian Schools, New Providence
2010 - Jared Fitzgerald, Xavier's Lower School, New  Providence
2011 - Anna Albury, Hope Town Primary, Abaco
2012 - Nadja Simon, Genesis Academy, New Providence
2013 - Lauryn Rolle, St. Thomas More Catholic Primary, New Providence
2014 - Donovan Butler, Xavier's Lower School, New Providence
2015 - Samaiya Lundy, Sunland Baptist Academy, Grand Bahama

Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Awards past first runners-up
1997 - Tineke Bethel, Sts. Francis & Joseph Catholic Primary School, New Providence
1998 - Joel Thompson, Bahamas Academy of SDA, New Providence; and Danica Sands, Spanish Wells All Age, Eleuthera
1999 - Shavardo Thompson, St. Bede's Catholic Primary School, New Providence; and D'Shanti Bethel, Governor's Harbour Primary, Eleuthera
2000 - Avandi Wallace, Discovery Primary School, Grand Bahama; and Justin Gittens, Carmichael Primary School, New Providence
2001 - Brittany Culmer, Queen's College Primary, New Providence
2002 - Khai Poitier, St. Anne's Primary, New Providence
2003 - Brian Cates, Xavier's Lower School, New Providence
2004 - Alec Nabb, Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Primary, Grand Bahama
2005 - Alieth Adderley, Mangrove Bush Primary, Long Island
2006 - Rachante Colebrooke, St. Thomas More Catholic Primary, New Providence
2007 - Antonette Loon, Hugh Campbell Primary Grand Bahama
2008 - Karissa Moss, Kingsway Academy, New Providence
2009 - Farion Cooper, II, Xavier's Lower School, New Providence
2010 - Yelena Persaud, St. Francis de Sales Primary School, Abaco
2011 - Kayla Ann Higgs, Harbour Island All Age, Eleuthera
2012 - Luke Carey, St. Andrew's School, New Providence
2013 - Allie Pinder, Spanish Wells All Age School, Eleuthera
2014 - Tamsin Nottage, Lyford Cay International School, New Providence
2015 - Judah Lloyd, Temple Christian Schools, New Providence

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