Maegan Costa and Britney Bannister met in 2008 at the fledgeling Dream Girls Club, a mentorship programme for young girls.

Now, after almost a decade of meetings and activities, the club has honoured their commitment to the programme by awarding them $5,000 in scholarships.

Ms Costa said the scholarship meant she could attend Bermuda College without worrying about the cost.

And Ms Bannister said: “The Phenomenal People’s scholarship meant even more to me because it was from my Dream Girls Club family.” Both Ms Costa and Ms Bannister were among the first eight members when the Dream Girls Club was first launched.

Organised by women’s charity Phenomenal People and based in the Bermuda Youth Library, the club is intended to provide young women with a positive influence through dancing, reading, expression, art and modelling.

Ms Costa said: “It was my mom who’d told me about girls’ club and I immediately wanted to join.

“As I got older, I became a volunteer to the younger girls, and it felt amazing knowing that I was a part of their maturing process in becoming beautiful girls and young ladies I knew they were going to be.”

Ms Bannister said: “I started because my mom encouraged me to help others, and the club had a lot of exciting actives.

“Personally, I get joy out of making people’s day whether I did something small or big. Through the club, I got to experience so many things and I was able to be more involved with my community.”

Ms Costa said the programme helped her find her love of teaching — an interest she is now pursuing by studying at Bermuda College.

“What I got out of this was responsibility and pride just to start and it turned into me wanting to study early children education to teach and mould other young children,” Ms Costa said. “I can say that there wasn’t one moment that I felt like I wasn’t wanted or needed there. Every Saturday was like a fairytale too good to be true, but it was and it still is.”

Ms Bannister also said the club motivated her to pursue her higher education. She is now in her first year studying culinary arts at Barbados Community College Hospitality Institute.

“The club motivates and gives advice on how to expand your dreams and to never give up on them,” Ms Bannister said. “It also promotes personal growth and development.

“I also discovered my career choice because they push to constantly think about one’s goals, future and purpose.”

Margaret Giloth, president of Phenomenal People, said that helping young women towards educational goals post-high school is a good way to help them achieve their goals. She added: “Skill development translates to self-empowerment and greater access to opportunities anywhere in the world.

“It is extremely rewarding to witness our first two young ladies stepping out and claiming their place in life with a solid education — I’m very proud of them.”