award.

And Rebecca Middleton's mother, Cindy Bennett, was on hand to award 17-year-old Sonina Lottimore with a $1,000 grant towards her studies at Bermuda College.

The annual scholarship is intended for students who have completed the College's Best Steps programme, which is aimed at those who did not meet the normal conditions for college entry.

Miss Lottimore will be studying with the Faculty of Hotel & Business Administration for an Associate Degree in Computer and Information Systems.

She said she was "very excited'' about receiving the scholarship.

Ms Bennett said the award would be a positive thing that had come out of the death of her teenage daughter who was brutally murdered while on holiday in Bermuda in July 1996.

And Mr. Middleton told The Royal Gazette that he was pleased that someone deserving had been found to receive the award, which was originally set up by dentist Dr. Ian Campbell.

He said the idea was to help a young Bermudian who would hopefully stay on the Island and use the qualifications they gained at college for the good of the country.

Fundraising began both here and in Belleville, Ontario -- Rebecca's home town -- soon after the killing. Within weeks, more than $45,000 had been raised.

Bermuda College president George Cook told Ms Bennett: "Nothing can replace your daughter, but with this she will live on forever.'' "We are absolutely thrilled about this relationship,'' he added. Four other scholarships have also been set up for deserving students at high schools in Belleville.

Middleton scholar: The first Rebecca Middleton Memorial Scholarship was presented recently at the Bermuda College. Pictured, from left, are Bermuda College vice president Dr. Donald Peters, president Dr. George Cook, Louise Black, grandmother of the recipient Sonina Lottimore, Cindy Bennett, mother of Rebecca Middleton, Dean of Students Sheridan Talbot, and Sonina's mother Karen Lottimore.

AWARDS AWD