FOR years, Dr Kirk Morgan and Tennielle Campbell-Williamson have been working to improve the well-being of other people without any thought of reward.

On Tuesday, both were recognised for their continuous work in community development and distinctive contributions to nation-building by CIBC First Caribbean.

Morgan copped the top place in the annual CIBC Caribbean Unsung Heroes Awards while Campbell-Williamson placed second.

“I must say I am elated. I did not expect it, because when I was invited I was told I was a nominee, so when I came I did not have great expectations because first, to begin, I did not know how many persons were going to be here so I just came with an open mind. So, I said if I actually receive it I thank God because I did not have anything planned. This is like unfamiliar territory for me,” Morgan told the Jamaica Observer after accepting the award at the ceremony held at Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew.

Campbell-Williamson shared the same sentiments.

“This was something I never saw coming… To be honest, I never thought I would ever be recognised. I have been working a lot with young people, both locally and internationally, just to impact lives,” she said.

Morgan, a senior mathematics lecturer at The University of the West Indies, has, for more than 15 years, offered free Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate mathematics classes to people in underserved communities — first at Papine High School, and later through the National Housing Trust — refusing all offers of compensation.

His mission, it was revealed at the awards ceremony, has always been simple, yet profound: Use education as a tool to uplift, liberate, and change lives.

Campbell-Williamson has been an evangelist, youth mentor, and personal ministries leader in her church for more than 17 years, guiding young people through some of the most challenging seasons of their lives.

The awards programme stated that she has advocated fearlessly for mental wellness, gender-based violence prevention, and the healing of individuals and communities.

Her impact extends beyond the church walls. Through her mentorship with Denbigh Primary football club she has played a crucial role in shaping the lives of young boys — teaching discipline, hope, resilience, and purpose.

A total of US$7,500 was awarded to both winners.

During her address, head of country for CIBC Caribbean Jamaica, Annique Dawkins explained that the initiative forms part of the organisation’s attempt to highlight and reward Caribbean men and women who continue to impact the lives of many.

“Today is a celebration, a moment where we shine a well-deserved light on our 2025 unsung heroes as we come together to recognise the extraordinary individuals who remind us of the best of who we are as Jamaicans,” Dawkins said.

Marketing manager for CIBC Caribbean Jamaica, Renee Whitehorne said the 10-year programme, which started in 2003 and was paused in 2010, resumed this year but did not attract many applicants.

“It was not a lot this year coming out of when we were doing it in previous years — usually we would get up to 50 nominations at least. So this year, as our first year back, we did not get as much as we normally would,” she said.

“We have seen so many acts of kindness happen after Hurricane Melissa and so, coming out of that, we are sure we are going to see a lot more nominations for the 2026 programme,” Whitehorne added.

She explained that calls for nominations are made via different media platforms and, once received, they are reviewed by a panel of judges who select the winner and the runner-up based on the magnitude of their impact.

“We had a public call for nominations, we had advertisements on the radio and social media inviting persons to send in their nominations by telling us a little about the person, and answering some questions. Some people even submitted photos of the work done and then the judges look at the strength of the different nominations,” Whitehorne said.

Retired president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Seymour Panton, who was among the panel of three judges, shared that he was impressed with the works submitted, noting that significant community involvement was demonstrated in critical areas.

“There were several good candidates, and I had to go over them several times before settling on the ones that were eventually decided on. It shows that there are quite a number of persons who are doing quiet work in our communities and making life better for many people in Jamaica,” Seymour said.

For Morgan, the award has served as motivation.

“I just want to keep doing my best because I realise there are unseen eyes watching and there might be some reward eventually for you. It made me realise that whatever I was doing, I was not doing anything wrong,” he told the Observer.

Tennielle Campbell-Williamson (right) is presented with the runner-up prize in the CIBC Caribbean Unsung Heroes Awards by CIBC Caribbean Jamaica Head of Country Annique Dawkins at the awards ceremony on Tuesday at Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew.