Kareem Billings: Youngest radio personality in Jamaica
At only seven years old Kareem Billings is the youngest to host of a radio show in Jamaica.
Kareem, who resides in Portmore, St Catherine, is the presenter for the Read and Win programme on SunCity 104.9FM on Saturdays.
“I love reading and I had to choose a programme that encourages reading and the use of the English Language” shared the grade three student.
Kareem who attends the Ardenne Preparatory School also enjoys karate and often times video games. He looks up to both his father and mother as role models.
His mother, Kereen Williams more popularly known as Sunflower, one of the managers of SunCity 104.9FM shared “we do play a great role in persuading Kareem to pursue radio journalism, we see his full potential and we are always very supportive of him”.
His father and Chairman for SunCity 104.9FM Steve Billings shared “When he approached me about the programme I was amazed, so we decided to make it educational and interactive”.
He added “When children participate in Kareem’s programme they can win great prizes such as Bibles, dictionaries, story books and activity books by answering questions in the English Language, Mathematics, Science and much more”.
He is joined by Sun Jock Simple who also has children and values the need for this programme; he shared “I enjoy co-hosting with Kareem, he is very talented and he enjoys reading and composing the questions for the show”.
Kareem is motivated by his parents and the feedback he receives from several of his school mates and teachers who listen and get involved in his show.
He maintains an 85 per cent average in school but scored a 97 per cent on his last report. “I believe that everyone should make time for school, my parents always encourage me to study hard and read more” Kareem shared.
While balancing school work and his home chores, Kareem is also involved in several community based initiatives and participates in much family oriented activities and events.
He recently made an appearance at the SunCity endorsed event entitled ‘YEP Back to School Treat’ at the Waterford Primary School where he received a warm welcome from his young fans and their parents.
He also spent his summer making other appearances and further building his young career as a radio personality who aspires to become the next Chairman of SunCity 104.9FM.
Kareem’s programme, Read and Win targets students from grades one to six; and airs on Sun City 104.9FM on Saturdays 9:00 am to 10:00 am.