$5,000 grants were awarded to students in associate programs and $10,000 grants to students in bachelor's programs. Here are the highlights from the ceremony,

Robbin Burns, PACT, Conservation Investment Manager
"This grant program is more than just a financial contribution. It is an investment in the future of Belize. It's also an investment in the potential of each student here today and in the protection and preservation of our nation's invaluable natural resources. To our grant recipients, congratulations. This is a well deserved recognition, today you stand as future leaders and professionals who will shake Belize's growth and guide us in safeguarding our unique natural heritage. This grant program was established to support you in your pursuit of academic excellence at both the associate and bachelors level. We wanted to ensure that there are no financial barriers that stand in your way of pursuing your dreams and ambitions."

Dr Kenrick Williams, CEO, Ministry of Sustainable Development
"We are excited because our investment and our thought is not just on the biologist and the natural resource management students we are investing in a cross section and of students that does business that does economics that does environmental conservation because you are going to be the people who are going to drive AI and Machine learning in conservation. You are going to be the people who does environmental economics and natural resource evaluation you are going to be the people who does the carbon credits who draw all the new ideas of environmental conservation and management and how we as a country who have sustainably used our resources go out there and say hey this is what Belize has done we have made an investment how much we you going to support that?"

8 of those students were enrolled in associates programs while the other 11 enrolled in a range of academic programs at the bachelor level, including Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Biology and Chemistry.