A student at Amoa College is the recipient of an inaugural scholarship award funded by 2019-2020 Miss World Samoa pageant.

The scholarship award, which is called “Miss World Samoa Beauty with a Purpose Scholarship Award”, was initially scheduled for launching in March until the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic threw the spanner in the works.

This year’s scholarship recipient is Nur Patolomeo, a Year 13 student at the Amoa College. Two more pupils in primary school are yet to be confirmed.

A media statement issued by Miss World Samoa, Alalamalae Gabriela Lata Alaifaiva Polamalu, stated that the idea to award a scholarship came out from discussions between herself and Miss World Samoa director and licensee, Tito Stowers. 

Full-time students in Samoa are eligible for the scholarship award and must show full academic potential.Two students will be awarded the scholarships with one from primary school and the other from college. 

The schools will be chosen by Miss World Samoa to participate in the scholarship award program. And the chosen school is expected to select the scholarship recipient who meets all the requirements.

"This will be a yearly award for future Miss World Samoa to continue," Alalamalae added. “The first recipient of the Miss World Samoa Scholarship Award goes to Nur Patolomeo from Amoa College.”

Sharing her experience contesting the Miss World 2019 pageant in London, Alalamalae said it was an experience of a lifetime. 

"I felt proud and honoured to be given the opportunity to grace the Miss World stage and most importantly showing the world our beautiful Samoa," she added. "The pageant motto was ‘Beauty with a purpose’ and I believe we can interpret this in many inspiring and passionate ways where we see possible."

But upon her return home, after a four-week stay in the British capital from November to December last year, she asked questions about her purpose and what could be done to help others.

She said that Miss World was not just a beauty pageant as she believes that the opportunity she was given could also become a blessing to others.

Amoa College Principal, Fa'aiu Andersen, was elated when contacted by the Samoa Observer to comment on one of her students becoming the first recipient of the award.

"I am overwhelmed. It is a blessing. We never knew our college, especially a school in Savai’i would receive such an award.  We are so blessed and I thank the Lord for these blessings upon our school," she said. "I thank the organisation of Miss World Samoa for choosing our little school and acknowledging us."

According to Fa'aiu, they have already received the award certificate but have yet to do the official presentation to the student. 

She said they hope to present the award to Ms Patolomeo next week in the presence of her parents. 

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