Brac student wins Rotary essay contest
Contest winner Gabriella Ritch
(CNS): Five high school students earned finalist awards in the annual Rotary Club Grand Cayman Adventures in Citizenship Essay Contest. The young people, all in their penultimate year of high school, submitted works on the theme, “One Man One Vote” – after 184 years of multi-member voting, the Cayman Islands changes its political system to one man one vote. How do you think this will affect Cayman?”
At the ceremony, held Thursday, 28 April, Gabriella Ritch, of Layman E. Scott Sr High School, took top honours. Michael Tomlinson, of St Ignatius Catholic School, was the runner up. The other three finalists were Olivia Zimmer (Grace Christian Academy), D’Vonte Joseph (St Ignatius) and Justyce Rivers (Grace Christian)
The programme brings together a select group of youth living in Cayman so that they can learn about the privileges and responsibilities that go along with citizenship. The programme goes behind the scenes of the Cayman Islands Government and its public institutions, teaches the students how the country is governed and allows them to meet some of the Cayman’s leaders.
On the same day they received their awards, the students toured a number of national institutions such as the Court House, the National Gallery, the National Archives, the Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet Office. The following day, Governor Helen Kilpatrick hosted at a luncheon in their honour at Government House.
Contributing to the welfare and development of youth has always been a focus of the Rotary Club Grand Cayman, and it was important for the organisation to play its part to inspire, empower and uplift them, said committee chair Keysha Sailsman.
Contest winner Ritch moved the crowd with a compelling and informative essay. When asked why she participated in the programme, she said, “I feel that as a young person we should be concerned about matters pertaining to our country, especially politics. Something as simple as voting for one or more candidates will affect our country now, and in the future.”
In delivering congratulations on behalf of Minister of Education Tara Rivers, Christen Suckoo, chief officer in the ministry, said that support given by Rotary Grand Cayman and sponsor CIBC First Caribbean was invaluable to the literacy effort in the Cayman Islands. He added that it was moments like these that reminds people that it takes a village to raise a child.
Category: High School, Schools, Youth
