FCCA Foundation, the charitable arm of Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 FCCA Foundation Children’s Essay Competition, as well as the 2025 Children’s Poster Competition. The annual competitions invited students from schools across the Caribbean and Latin America to submit essays and posters, with awards granted to both the students and their schools to further support their educational development.
“There is nothing more fulfilling than helping children, and I am proud of all the ways the FCCA Foundation achieves this,” said Michele Paige, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FCCA. “The competitions are particularly special because it directly benefits children’s futures and encourages them to continue striving in their scholastic endeavors, while helping their schools develop even more exceptional students.”
Participating schools from the Caribbean and Latin America submitted their respective finalists to represent the destination for the contest, with each destination allowed one finalist per age group – the junior division, consisting of students between 9 and 12-years-old, and the senior division, between 13 and 16 years-old. The finalists’ submissions were subsequently reviewed and evaluated by a six-member judging panel, with the scores averaged to determine the first-, second-, and third-place winners.
Essay Competition Theme: “If I were a cruise passenger, what would I like to see or do in my country?”
Junior Division Essay Competition:
First-place was awarded to 11-year-old Diego Hernando González García of Padson International School (Mexico), second-place 12-year-old Kayra Balani of St. Joseph School (St. Maarten) and third-place 12 year-old Lendre Pemberton of St. Vincent Grammar School (St. Vincent & The Grenadines).
Senior Division Essay Competition:
First-place was awarded to 16 year-old Ta’Mya Davis of Charlotte Amalie High School (US Virgin Islands), second-place 16-year-old Kiara Kwenga of Christ the King High School (Antigua & Barbuda), third-place (tie) 16 year-old Sigourney Flowers of Belize High School (Belize) and 15 year-old Jennaya Bonadie of St. Vincent Girl’s High School (St. Vincent & The Grenadines)
Poster Competition Theme: “How to Protect the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities”
Junior Division Poster Competition
First-place was awarded to 11 year-old Alaina Johnson of St. Mary’s Catholic School (Grenada), second-place 11 year-old Laila Alleyne of Springer Memorial Secondary School (Barbados) and third-place 10 year-old Malachi Simmons of Bequia Anglican Primary School (St. Vincent & The Grenadines).
Senior Division Poster Competition
First-place 15 year-old was awarded to Evan Reniier Amatdjais of Milton Peters College (St. Maarten), second-place 14 year-old Amelia Edwards of St. Joseph Convent St. George (Grenada), third-place (tie) 13 year-old Colleen Villanueva of Cayman Academy (Cayman Islands) and third-place (tie) 14 year-old Gayoung Yeon of Jean Piaget (Mexico).
Prize Structure (Applies to Both Essay & Poster Competitions)
First-place students will receive a laptop computer and their schools a US $3,000 award; second-place students will receive a touchscreen device and their schools a US $1,500 award; third-place students will receive a touchscreen device and their schools a US $1,000 award; and all remaining finalists from each country will receive a US $200 recognition award, which will be formally presented during Seatrade Cruise Global 2026.
