THE Rotary Club of Kingston East and Port Royal held its annual Youth Awards Ceremony recently, where it recognised young persons who have been identified as future leaders, who have excelled in academics and who have held key leadership positions in their respective schools/organisations.

This year’s group include, seated from left, Miguel Thompson, Scouts Association of Jamaica; Antonia Chin, Campion College; Amanie Wallace, Wolmer’s Girls’; Deanna Toussaint, Girls’ Brigade Jamaica; Janelle Answer, Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha); and Sandrae Powell, Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI). They are supported by Rotary officials.

JANELLE ANSWER

Janelle attended Theresa’s Prep and is currently enrolled in the sixth form programme at the Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha). Her love for animals and people, has strongly influenced her current course of study — the sciences — and brought her a step closer to becoming a veterinarian and a part-time therapist.

Her hobbies include reading, travelling, listening to music, cooking and the arts. Her extra-curricular activities include playing lawn tennis, dancing and swimming. She’s also member of the Alpha swim team and the dance troupe. She is also Interact Club president, Science & Environmental Club member, Passion & Purity member, Tourism Action Club director and member of the Catholic Club.

In 2010 she was crowned Mini Miss Alpha, and for two years she was given the swimmer of year award (2011 and 2013). She also served as a student council representative from 2011 to 2013. In the recent sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) examinations, she received two distinctions, seven credits and two passes. Janelle is a natural-born leader who is known for her creativeness and desire to help people. She is meticulous and industrious, and is a true role model for her peers.

JAVIER BAILEY

Javier Bailey is currently enrolled at the University of the West Indies, Mona, where he is pursuing a bachelor of science degree in computing with a minor in geography. He has been a member of the Boy’s Brigade Jamaica for 15 years and is currently a staff sergeant.

He is a graduate of Ardenne High School and throughout his school years, he served as class monitor, prefect, senior prefect and was subsequently nominated as head boy. He graduated from Ardenne with 10 CSEC and four Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects.

As a member of the Boy’s Brigade, Javier has been afforded numerous learning opportunities for which he is grateful. He obtained passes in the Royal School of Music Examination grade one and two theory in 2007 and 2009, and he is an awardee under the Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme.

The Boys’ Brigade has taught Javier numerous skills. His leadership qualities and humble mannerism contributed to him being selected to represent the Boy’s Brigade Jamaica at a young leader’s training opportunity in England in 2013. There, he got the opportunity to interact with people from 20 different countries.

Javier strongly believes that lack of discipline among youth can be significantly improved if more young boys and men were actively involved in the Boys’ Brigade as the mission of the organisation is discipline, self-respect and self-control.

ANTONIA CHIN

Antonia began her education journey at Mary Bond Basic School in Harbour View. Following this, she attended St Aloysius Primary, where her academic abilities were first recognised, as she remained a top student throughout her years there. Antonia understood very early the value of getting a quality education. She worked hard and her efforts were rewarded, as she was able to matriculate to Campion College. For her excellent grades in each Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) subject, Antonia was awarded the 2009 ScotiaBank Scholarship for Surrey.

She has continued to do tremendously well in her studies. Most recently, Antonia sat her CSEC examinations, receiving distinctions in all nine subjects. As if that was not already an impressive feat, she was also named fifth in the island for information technology, and 10th in her school for mathematics.

At high school, Antonia grew to understand the necessity of being a well-rounded student. In addition to her studies, she has made it her duty to be part of the school community by participating in a number of clubs. Her sport of choice is volleyball and she enjoys being a member of the school’s team.

Not one to neglect outreach, she is a member of both the Leo club and Key clubs. She is also the president of the Gourmet club, where she is able to put her love of food, her excellent leadership skills and interaction with others, together.

Outside of school, Antonia likes to spend her leisure time reading, cooking and surfing the Internet. She hopes to one day realise her dream of becoming a cardiologist.

Antonia is the embodiment of a young lady with focus, and drive. Her exemplary dedication to her studies as well as community involvement speaks to her diligence and motivation. She is a shining example to her brother and sisters, school mates, and other members of her Port Royal community.

MIGUEL THOMPSON

Miguel is a graduate of Ascot Primary School and he is currently in lower sixth form at Jose Marti Technical. He became a scout at age 15 and immediately became the leader of his patrol (Lion Patrol), a position he held up until August 31.

During those three years, Miguel proved to his peers that he was a good leader, one to whom they could confide in and rely on as he would always ensure that his patrol members were always accounted for and would lead troop meetings whenever his troop leader was away on national duties.

Miguel recently completed a course in radio communication and disaster management at ODPEM. Based on his innate leadership qualities, he was selected to become a part of the leadership core in the Scout Association of Jamaica and has started training in that capacity.

Miguel has proven to be a very dedicated individual who continues to live his life by the Scout law, ‘A Scout has courage in all difficulties’. And he abides by the motto: ‘Success is where preparedness meets opportunity’.

His career goal is to be a commissioned officer in the Jamaica Defence Force and in his spare time, he likes to play the trumpet and do outdoor scouting activities.

DEANNA TOUSSAINT

Deanna is a graduate of Portmore Missionary Prep and Campion College. She is a member of the 4th St Catherine Girls’ Brigade Company and she participates actively at company, divisional and national levels. She has a sincere passion for helping those who are underprivileged and impoverished. This desire to serve is demonstrated by her involvement in a number of community service initiatives and extra-curricular activities at Campion — senior prefect, class monitor, vice-president of the Campion College Steel Orchestra, secretary of Inter-School Christian Fellowship , public relations officer of We Care and Christian Life Community and an active member of the Red Cross and Gourmet clubs.

She frequently visits homes for the elderly in her community, has short devotions and provides entertainment for the senior citizens.

She has also served as mentor at Campion College, through initiatives such as the Big-Brother Big-Sister programme; within the Girls’ Brigade family as an example for younger girls; and also at church.

She has been awarded:

1. Campion College award of first or second class honours (2007-2014)

2. Campion College Magis Award for excellent performance in CSEC exams — 2012

3. Ninth in Jamaica for CAPE history unit one in 2013

4. Campion College Magis Award for most outstanding performance in law and Christian living — 2013

5. Prefect’s award for most outstanding member of ISCF, 2014.

Deanna is a multifaceted and goal oriented young lady who has managed to balance her varied co-curricular activities with her academics. She received nine distinctions in CSEC, eight distinctions in CAPE, and the Jamaica Association for Principals of Secondary Schools award for first in Jamaica for CAPE law unit one in 2013. Her hobbies include singing, dancing, teaching sign language and playing netball.

Deanna has shown tremendous potential to be a future leader and lives by the mantra, “It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” In the future she intends to be a commercial lawyer.

AMANIE WALLACE

Amanie Wallace is a graduate of Mavisville Preparatory School, where she attended before matriculating to Wolmer’s Girls’.

She started out on a path of excellence at Wolmer’s when she placed first in a Spanish competition in first form. This path of excellence continued throughout her years at Wolmer’s as she was the top history student in her year group in fourth form; in fifth form she placed second in the chemistry competition; and she was also the top chemistry and biology student in her year group and class respectively.

Amanie was also the form captain in second form and the vice form captain in third and fifth form. She is a well-rounded young lady who has managed to efficiently balance her academic studies with her extra-curricular activities. She is actively involved in the 4-H club, Heritage Club, Food and Nutrition Club, Key Club and Math Club.

She was voted valedictorian for her graduating class of 2014. Amanie attained 10 grade ones in the CSEC exams and placed first in the island in Spanish. She is currently in sixth form at Wolmer’s, pursuing four subjects at the CAPE level.

In her spare time, Amanie likes to watch movies and YouTube videos as well as listen to music. In the future, she wishes to become a paediatrician, as well as an advocate for children.

ALESHIA WILLIAMS

Aleisha Williams is an 11-year-old sixth grader at Port Royal Primary and Infant School. She is the second of three children and is from an extended family that is very supportive of her ambitions and dreams.

Aleisha is assertive, responsible and committed, therefore it was no surprise when she earned her spot as the head girl of her school in 2014 after being sub-prefect in grade five. She represents her school in external reading competitions, a skill that has earned her a few silver and bronze medals.

A well-rounded student, Aleisha not only enjoys reading stories and poems but is a member of the Brownie Pack, and the school’s dance, drama and netball clubs. She also attends St Paul’s Methodist Church of Port Royal, where she participates in children services — reading the scriptures, reciting poems and being supportive in the church’s rallies. A true leader, Aleisha can be relied upon to attend impromptu school events even during holidays.

Aleisha has started making early preparation to sit GSAT and is set to graduate in 2015. She has her eyes set on attending St Hugh’s High School, a school her cousin and young mentor attends. Aleisha wants to become a teacher as she loves children and wants to have a positive impact in their lives. She says her role models are her grade five teacher and her current teacher, who have depicted the true qualities of effective and efficient teachers.

SANDRAE POWELL

Sandrae Powell is a graduate of the Mile Gully Primary School. He learnt from an early age that service to others gave true self-satisfaction and thus his motto was, ‘if you can’t do good, don’t do anything’.

He was awarded a place at Manchester High School after GSAT, where his educational pursuits were complemented by sporting and humanitarian activities. He was an Interactor for four years, an interest in volunteerism and service strengthened by his involvement in church outreach programmes which involved visits to infirmaries and children’s homes. His love for service expanded through his involvement in homework assistance programmes spearheaded by his church, the Mile Gully SDA.

In his spare time, Sandrae enjoys helping his schoolmates with assignments, and has extra sessions to help them stay abreast of concepts being taught. In his community he is known as the father of the “madmen”, as he made it his point of duty to ensure that once every week the mentally challenged men in his community were adequately fed through an agreement with a local restaurant.

He joined the Rotaract Club of CMI in 2012 and was elected the vice president for the year for 2013-2014. His passion for service catapulted him to presidency in 2014 where he is desirous, along with his executive team, to transform the club into a force to be reckoned with.

Service above self is more than a club’s motto to him. He has adopted it as a way of life.