Conservationist Kyle Mitchell, 19, has been named Youth of the Year 2012. At the National Youth Awards Ceremony 2012 hosted by the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, held at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad in Port-of-Spain, Mitchell beat out 19 individuals and groups for the top honour.
The Nature Seekers tour guide, who is reading for his degree in information technology at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, first captured the Environmental Excellence Award in the 18-29 category at the ceremony on Sunday, before clinching the overall title. But the awards for business, entrepreneurship and innovation among youth went to the T&T Guardian's sports contributor Shari John and the duo of Shaquille Celestine and Gabriel Peters.
Celestine and Peters won the junior class for their poultry enterprise, while John, 23, claimed kudos in the senior category. She was credited for establishing the internet company Cwesn, which was dedicated to the coverage of sports in the Caribbean, and before dreaming up that idea she also established The Magazine. Dale Lutchman, of Slam 100.5FM, part of the radio division of Guardian Media Ltd family, was also nominated for an award and emerged as one of three finalists in the Information and Communication Technology Maximisation category.
Petriann Trancoso ultimately won that category. Ricky Amar and Wayne Boodoo shared the spotlight when results for the leadership category were announced, while Kassie-Ann Kalloo and Rondell Donawa earned top marks in their divisions in the education category. The new Youth In Media category was won by Morvant-based Dike Noel, 28, while Shantelle McLean also did the community proud, capturing the prize for Youth in Sport in the 18-29 category.
The independent panel of adjudicators split the previously co-joined categories of visual and performing arts. At the end of the night's ceremony Tamaru Dickson took home the performing arts accolade in the 12-17 category (12-17), while Sameer Alladin was the victor in the 18-29 age group. Nehemiah Matthews, 16, of St Michael's School for Boys, emerged top in the Youth in Visual Arts class, while Christopher Gordon, 24, won favour with the adjudication panel for the senior prize.
Marlene Coudray, Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development, told the capacity audience that the National Youth Awards was a statement to T&T's youth that their positive works and activities were testaments to the national community and the world at large that the future of the nation remains secure. "The awards not only inspire our nation's future leaders, but also encourage the national community to take a second look at our youth and recognise that negative behaviours are exceptions to the norm.
This is an exciting night for all involved. It is an opportunity to honour all these extraordinary young men and women who have, in one way or another, bettered themselves and those around them, against the background of negative youth influences and indulgences, and in a time of fixation of the media on those negatives," said Coudray.
She said the national youth policy defines a youth as a person between 12 and 29, who is becoming independent of parents and learning to master the biological, psychological, economic and social changes associated with the period of transition. Statistics have shown, she reported, that T&T has approximately 400,000 youths between ages ten and 24, accounting for about 30 per cent of the population.
She pointed out, "This represents a significant portion of our population and emphasises the importance of active participation of youth in every aspect of decision making, especially in areas such as employment, entrepreneurship, protection of rights and education."
The Winners
Youth of the Year 2012:
Kyle Mitchell
Environmental Excellence:
Kyle Mitchell
Business, Entrepreneurship
and Innovation (12-17):
Shaquille Celestine and Gabriel Peters
Business, Entrepreneurship
and Innovation (18-29):
Shari John
Sport (12-17):
Andwelle Wright
Sport (18-29):
Shantelle Mc Lean
Information and Communication
Technology Maximisation (18-29):
Petriann Trancoso
Leadership (12-17):
Ricky Amar, Wayne Boodoo
National Youth Community Organisation:
Helping Hands Alliance
EMA Youth Ambassadors
Performing Arts (12-17):
Tamaru Dickson
Performing Arts (18-29):
Sameer Alladin
Visual Arts (12-17):
Nehemiah Matthews
Visual Arts (18-29):
Christopher Gordon
Education (12-17):
Kassie-Ann Kalloo
Education (18-29): Rondell Donawa
Special Circumstances/Persons
Living With Disabilities (12-17):
Shanntol Ince
Media (18-29): Dike Noel
Volunteerism (18-29): Marcus Kissoon