Eighteen recognized at National Youth Awards

The National Youth Awards, organized by the National Youth Council of Dominica (NYCD), has awarded eighteen outstanding youth and youth organizations for the contribution towards community and national development.

The recipients recieved their awards at a ceremony on June 24th 2017 at the Dominica State College (DSC) in categories including faith-based achievements, community tourism, media, and visual arts.

In his address to the audience, President of the NYCD, Jahisiah Benoit, encouraged all young persons to view the Youth Awards as a “calling to play a greater role” in the development of the Youth Council.

“We cannot be successful without the energies and ideas of our young people across this country…Look at our youth who have been completed their primary school education move onto high school…I encourage you young people to grasp every opportunity to be a part of organizations like the National Youth Council, to be a part of a youth group at the school level, at the community level, because the hour that you will spend volunteering with these organizations, will be far smaller in comparison to the talents that you will develop,” Benoit stated.

He described the Council’s calendar year as “very dynamic” considering the level of activity that has been going and, and especially, since the time of Tropical Storm Ericka given the lack of networking and personal needs, the Council had been able to make stronger strides in operations.

“Following the passage of Tropical Storm Ericka, it really posed a great challenge to the National Youth Council because we were not able to network with youth groups across the country as we would have liked to. Furthermore many of us needed to take some time to focus on our families and our communities. I must that almost two years moving on, the National Youth Council is now moving in its full capacity from what I understand the Council’s capacity to be,” He said.

Benoit solicits the young people gathered to take advantage of every opportunity made available to them and to continue being an inspiration to the masses in the country.

“I mentioned earlier the parable of talents. In fact, I consider my experience in the National Youth Council has given me so much talent that I never had before I entered this organization. Had I not entered this organization, I would not be the man I am today, I would not have the vision for the Future that i have today,” he remarked.

He also commended the partnership between the Council, the government of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China, where great opportunities have been made and recognition has been attributed to the council.

Below is a list of awardees and the winning categories.
-Academic Excellence: Peter Codrington
-Community tourism: Nathan Rolle
-Culture and Heritage: Ordel Hamilton
-Visual Arts: Yuri Jones
-Entrepreneurship: Dennsyl James
-Media: Kreg Harris
-Performing Arts: Jade Letham
-Esteem Challenge (Differently Abled) Byanca Ashiby
-Kalinago Youth Nichole Eustache
-Literary Arts: Vynliz Daily
-Honorable Mentor: Delroy Williams
-Sports Kyla Winston
-Faith Base: Kelda David
-Volunteer: Rianna Patterson
-Beyound Expectation: Phael Lander
-Excellence in leadership: Phael Lander
-Community Youth Organisation: Trafalgar, Shawford, Fond Canie: Junior Council
-Music: Micheal Leblanc
-Agriculture: Lorson Alexander
-China Dominica Leadership Award: Queen Thomas
-President’s Award: Delroy Williams