Proud of Them: Dominic Owens and Jillian Crooks
(CNS Local Life): To introduce the public to the latest crop of Proud of Them recipients, the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands is releasing biographies of the 10 young people recognised. Dominic Owens earned the distinction for academics and Jillian Crooks for sports.
Owens (17) is a 2017 honours graduate of St Ignatius School where he obtained 10 I/GCSE passes consisting of A*, A’s and two B’s. At his high school graduation, he received awards for Highest Attainment in Mathematics and Accounting as well as the Dart Award for Excellence in STEM and the KPMG award for Excellence in Accounting.
The George Town native is pursuing A-levels in mathematics, physics, accounting and computer science with a goal to study accounting or finance at the London School of Economics and ultimately embark on a career in accounting and/or finance.
He is “consistently described by his teachers as conscientious, helpful, polite, enthusiastic, hardworking, engaging and punctual”, the ministry said in a press release. As a prefect he takes an active role in school life, setting a positive example for both his peers and the younger students.
Owens is also involved in various extra-curricular activities. He has been the captain of his football team, Academy Sports Club, at various ages locally and overseas as well as the vice-captain and captain of the St Ignatius U18 team for the past two years. He has also captained the U13 and U15 Cayman national football teams, and was a member of the U17 squad, and was selected for trials at UK football clubs in 2015.
He has also been a member of the School Council and various clubs, as well as participated in Junior Achievement. He took part in the Dart Minds Inspired Math Challenge, which he won at age 13.
Owens is a second degree black-belt (Nidan) and previously instructed younger students of the CASK programme. In his free time, he likes to coach younger children in football and also enjoys reading.
Jillian Crooks (12), from George Town, is making waves in the sport of swimming, the release said. Although she has participated in several sports, including synchronised and open water swimming, netball and karate, it is in competitive swimming that she has “displayed exceptional talent”.
She started swimming at age 3 with classes provided by mobile swim instructors, with her “breakthrough” coming when she joined the “Learn to Swim” programme at the Camana Bay Aquatic Club. In 2014 at age 8, she participated in her first competitive swim meet.
She has competed in several local and overseas meets and has achieved several age group high point awards and national records. In January 2018, she represented the Cayman Islands at the 2018 UANA Swimming Cup in Coral Springs, Florida, which gave her experience in international meets that featured some of the best in region.
Crooks was also a member of the 2018 CARIFTA swim team and represented the Cayman Islands in Jamaica where she won five individual medals – four bronze and one silver medal. She also represented the Cayman Islands at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships (CCCAN) in Aruba in July 2018, where she won nine individual medals and one with the Cayman Islands mixed relay team in the 11- to 12-year-old division.
“As she grows both physically and in the sport of swimming, Jillian is expected to continue to make the Cayman Islands proud,” the release said.
Category: Local News, Youth
