UWI student Kyle Mitchell was named Youth of the Year, winning overall the National Youth Awards 2012 held by the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development. Mitchell was also named winner in the category of environmental excellence (18-29) at a ceremony on August 12, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain.
 Kyle is currently reading for the degree in Information Technology at UWI. Nominated by Nature Seekers, a group to which he has been affiliated for eight years, although in an official capacity only for the last two, Kyle said he was taken aback to be declared overall winner.
“For the category itself it wasn’t that surprising, but the youth of the year award was shocking, because compared to some of the other profiles you read in the handout, they looked like they were doing more interesting stuff compared to what I did,” he said. “People said that my age probably had a big impact on it.”
Perhaps it was the fervour with which he has approached environmental issues. He lives in Matura and has taken a special interest in marine turtles, and one of his projects was included in the submission for the Award.
“In my proposal there is a project for next year to do a turtle egg-relocation project. After analysis to see which nests are at high risk because of their locations, we would like to relocate them to safer sites. Nature Seekers would be doing yearly inspections to assess the nesting areas.”
Sameer Alladin, who will be graduating this year with a BSc in Psychology (special) with honours, won the Youth in Performing Arts category (18-29). Sameer started playing the violin seven years ago under the tutelage of Kenneth Listhrop, through whom he became part of the St Augustine Chamber Orchestra. At 22, Sameer is not only an orchestral conductor, but he is also the Assistant Music Director and Violin teacher at SACO and the Trinidad and Tobago Youth Philharmonic.
He was not aware of the Youth Award programme until a friend nominated him, having supplied the corroborating documentation and his photo as requested, he paid it little mind.
 “I was a bit surprised, I was just doing what I normally do and enjoying it, so it was a bit surprising to get an award for that,” he said. The award comprised a trophy, a certificate, a framed photo and TT$5,000 of units from the UTC.
Several UWI students were nominated in the categories listed as Business, Entrepreneurship Innovation; Sport and Physical Activity; ICT Maximisation; Environmental Excellence; Youth in Leadership; National/Community Youth Organisations; Performing Arts; Visual Arts; Education; Special Circumstances/Persons Living with Disabilities; Media and Volunteerism.
Among the UWI folk listed as Top Nominees, were Sada Creese (Business), who graduated with a Chemistry degree and has opened her own firm, STC & Co, which makes all-natural body and aromatherapy products. Another is someone recently featured in UWI Today, Anil Waithe (Media), a Computer Science student who has never allowed his visual impairment to stop him from accomplishing his personal goals, and who has done a significant amount of pioneering work for visually impaired people. Izia Lindsay (Visual Arts) is still working towards a Visual Arts degree, but he has set up a company, JAP INC, and does a lot of volunteer work, especially murals.
Jochelle Fortune (Sport) is UWI’s netball team captain, and is an all-rounder who plays basketball and is involved in track and field and follows cricket avidly. Elysia Ray-Mendez (Volunteerism) is doing her LLB and despite her workload has made it a personal duty to assist a visually impaired person who is working toward a degree in Business Administration by acting as a scribe at no cost.
We applaud the achievements of all our students and indeed, all of those who were nominated for this National Youth Award. All of the top nominees received TT$ 2000 worth of UTC units. |
