After four applications and two nominations Jevaughn Gordon eventually won the Prime Minister’s National Youth Award for Excellence in Journalism, an achievement he says is a testament to perseverance.

“It’s very surreal. It’s always surreal to me when I get recognised for any journalistic works because you know you put in the passion in the stories that you tell and you never know where it’s going to end up and the impact that it’s going to create,” he told the
Jamaica Observer after the April 20 presentation ceremony at Jamaica House in St Andrew.

“Whenever I get an award or some recognition it’s always surreal to me because when you [are] doing it you [are] not expecting anything, but when it happens, you’re surprised by it, so I feel excited,” he added.

Gordon, who worked at the RJRGleaner Communications Group, was named Young Journalist of the Year in the Press Association of Jamaica 2023 National Journalism Awards last November.

He shared that after receiving that recognition he was still on cloud nine when he learnt that he had won the Prime Minister’s Youth Award.

“To be surprised with this award coming off the excitement of the Press Association Young Journalist of the Year award it’s a lot, and it is a very good, overwhelming feeling,” he said.

The 23-year-old said that through his journalistic work he has always sought to shed light on issues important to young people and their achievements which, he believes, often go overlooked by the media.

He gave as an example the documentary titled Zoom University, written and produced by him, which examines the challenges faced by students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In another documentary, on youth migration in Jamaica, he spoke with several young people to get their perspective on the issue and how the Government can work to keep Jamaica’s brightest young minds in the country.

Gordon said he also used his skills to bring attention to the financial challenges faced by some of Jamaica’s brightest young minds who need assistance making their dreams a reality.

He said that through these stories he was able to give youth the help they need to achieve their goals as well as highlight the valuable contributions they are making to society.

When the work got hard he was lucky enough to have a strong support system in his colleagues and mentors.

“How I stayed motivated and passionate were the people around me. It is important for young journalists to surround themselves with people who understand what they’re trying to achieve, and for me that was Dionne Jackson Miller, that was Giovanni Dennis, Jevaughn Keyes,” he said.

He urged young journalists to amplify the voices of other youth in Jamaica, bringing attention to pressing issues that can shape the country’s future.

“Journalism has been around forever, and a lot of stories have been told, and the stories are there, but I don’t feel like the stories of young people are put on a global or national stage,” he argued.

“When I went into journalism, I wanted to find a niche, and my niche was young people,” said Gordon.

He said that there is often a lot of negative news that gets highlighted in Jamaica, but recognising the power of traditional media and the impact it can have, he started a ‘Feel-Good Friday’ segment on Radio Jamaica’s evening news and current affairs programme
Beyond the Headlines, which recognises young people across Jamaica and the Caribbean who are doing great work.

“A lot of people don’t take academic sports seriously, so there was a whole debate thing that happened where they were going around the world with the debating competition, and people in Jamaica don’t know that. There are persons who are doing model UN, they are travelling the world as well, so we have to give people the platform to tell their stories, especially young people, so that the Jamaican population can know that young people are doing good things,” he said.

“A lot of people are looking for new content, so as a young journalist, the onus is on you to see what people need, look at the trends, look at the landscape. It’s also important that you find your niche and find the stories that you’re excited about, because a lot of times people will see that passion and be gravitated towards those stories,” Gordon said then offered a word of encouragement to young Jamaicans: “All young dreamers, keep pushing, keep believing. What’s meant for you will always find its way.”

The Prime Minister’s National Youth Awards for Excellence was introduced in 1998 to recognise Jamaicans, aged 15 to 29, who have excelled and contributed to national development. The award endorses each recipient as a positive role model for their peers and seeks to promote attitudinal change and social renewal by reinforcing the positive values of self-discipline, hard work, dedication, and humility.

Recipients of this year’s awards were recognised for their exceptional achievements in the categories of sports, agriculture, youth development, youth-serving organisation, arts and culture, academics, leadership, journalism/social media influencer, entrepreneurship, nation-building, international achievement, innovation in science and technology, and environmental protection.