On Tuesday night, emerging actress Melessa Vassell added another trophy to her growing list of awards. She was named second-place winner in the Kiwanis Club of Kingston’s Youth in Excellence Award for the Arts 2016.

“I am very honoured that I came second,” the 20-year-old University of the West Indies (UWI) student told the

Jamaica Observer.

First place went to Shannon Ramdial.

Vassell has been involved in drama and the arts since her days at Bridgeport High in Portmore, St Catherine.

“I got involved in drama in eighth grade at Bridgeport High. I was shy at first but I did a practical for final exams. I kept doing drama and grew to love it. My drama teacher, Miss Kishawna Gordon, gave me a lot of encouragement,” she recalled.

Her first major production was Moon on a Rainbow Shawl written by Errol John. The production won Best Production at the Schools’ Drama Festival. Vassell was also named Best Actress.

“My participation in the arts, more specifically drama, has made a tremendous impact on my school, community and nation. It has provided me with a platform in leadership. It is through this that I have had the opportunity to inspire and motivate younger budding actors, while assisting and directing them as they embark on the journey in the arts. The arts have also played a critical role in my personal life as it has taught me discipline, provided me with a sense of purpose and direction, while teaching me what it really takes and means to be a leader,” Vassell explained.

For the past three years, Vassell has been a member of the Jamaica Youth Theatre. She recounted her success in 2015.

“Last year was a very good year for me. We (Jamaica Youth Theatre) participated in the Caribbean Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival with the production Jonkanoo Jamboree which was written by Aston Cooke. We won Best Production and I also won Best Actress. The production had a combination of singing and dancing,” she said.

“Representing Jamaica at the Caribbean Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival in Trinidad provided me with a medium through which I was able to spread the Jamaican culture both on and off stage. I was given the opportunity to meet over 100 Caribbean nationals all of whom had different personalities and backgrounds. Not only was I able to use my theatre to impact my school, community and Caribbean region, but also was impactful on an international platform”.

She is currently in second-year at UWI studying for a degree in marketing. She was recently involved in the production

A’nancy Mek I, which was in tribute to the late folklorist and actress Louise Bennett Coverly and held at the UWI.

Vassell’s other awards include: Best Actress — Caribbean Schools’ Drama Festival (Trinidad 2015); Winner — International Monologue Slam 2015; Best Actress — Schools’ Drama Festival of Jamaica 2013; 2015 — Best Actress — Caribbean Secondary School’s Drama Festival; and 2015 – Lead Actor in Jamaica’s Award Winning Global Dialogues Video.