Of all the programs dedicated to the development of young people in the Caribbean, RBTT Young Leaders is among the most recognized. In the past, Young Leaders have taken on some phenomenal projects and significantly improved their communities. The project’s objective is to help young people develop leadership skills and appreciate the value of contributing significantly to their communities.
This year’s project, themed ‘Holistic Wellness: The Journey Towards a Fulfilling Life saw students going into their communities and educating people on the concepts of holistic wellness and encouraging healthy living through diet, physical activity and mental health.
“As humans made up of body mind and soul we must ensure all aspects of our being function optimall,” project coordinator Darren Hosier told students in his welcome remarks. “Relaxing and recreation are just as important as routine checks and diet in maintaining general health.
On Wednesday morning at a prize giving ceremony for the Young Leaders program at the National Cultural Center, RBTT country manager Mary Popo told students: “At this youthful time in your lives, when it is so easy to be influenced in the wrong direction, to be focused on outward appearances, to be encouraged into consumerism and convenience I see strength of character, high moral instinct, and passionate youthful energy, channeled into projects which embodied our theme.”
The representative from RBTT said the bank had a deep sense of social and community responsibility and their Young Leaders program across the region provided a wonderful opportunity to fulfill their responsibility by providing opportunity for young people to engage in projects that encouraged learning and the development of leadership skills. Popo felt young people needed to get involved, play a role no matter how big or small if they wished to make a difference in the world.
On the occasion students shared their experiences from taking part in the program. Krystal Small from the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School said the experience taught her to be patient, creative and above all, helped build her self-confidence.
“I was able to discover the greater meaning of holistic wellness, which impacted my life tremendously,” she said. “Thanks to this program I can now proudly say I’m living a holistic life. Thanks RBTT for giving us this opportunity to be part of this life changing experience, which is the Young Leaders program.”
Daliya Smith from Choiseul Secondary School said the project gave students a sense of the challenges of leadership and the joys of achievement. She felt the lessons learnt were of utmost significance, life experiences that would ‘undoubtedly shape my life.’
“The most difficult part was getting the participation and corporation of the student body, but in spite of the setbacks we can boast of our success.”
One of Choiseul Secondary’s projects this year, Choiseul Project Runway (CPR), saw models portraying the physical individual, through a combination of proper grooming habits and good hygiene.
“We received an overwhelming support from staff and students,” she said. “At some points it was emotional when you realized you touched someone’s life. It felt good. I am happy we got this opportunity.”
Project judge Pat James shared her thoughts on the outcome of this year’s initiative. Out of about 23 secondary schools, only eight schools participated: Corinth, Choiseul, Leon Hess, St Mary’s College, St Joseph’s Convent, Piaye, Entrepot and the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary Schools.
“I applaud you because you stuck with the program right until the end,” Pat James said. “I felt the theme was apt and expected much more participation from the schools in this day and age when we’re more concerned about wellness generally.”
James noted that in some cases students managed to influence the eating habits and other lifestyle behaviour of their peers. She urged students to continue living healthy lives, adding: “Those of you graduating from Young Leaders this year, you are not graduating from life.”
As for the schools that hadn’t participated, James had this to say: “Teachers let me remind you, we are doing these extracurricular activities for students, but also for ourselves. It’s a kind of relaxation, an opportunity to get to know the students more intimately and to share part of you with them. This is what distresses me so much. Only eight schools were able to present us with projects. Is it that we can’t get teachers who are willing to go through with the children? I don’t know what it is, but I want to applaud those who’ve been involved in the program and the students. My wish is that this coming year we’ll see many more schools on board.”
Rev Fr Jason Biscette within his feature address poised the question: “What greater gift have we received from God than the miracle of our own existence?”
“Have you ever stopped to consider the complex beauty of a human life or of the human person, so well knitted together?” he continued. “How wonderful it is to reflect on the divine craftsmanship with which you and I have been put together.”
Father Biscette noted that it was a well documented fact that young people had been planted and were expected to bloom in a societal environment in which there were countless factors and limitations negatively influencing their ability to develop their lives to full potential.
“You must decide now whether you are going to become another victim of those factors and limitations or whether you will seek to rise above them,” he said. “Maximizing the potential of your lives means nourishing all the various inter-related aspects of your existence.”
Biscette congratulated students who’d accepted the challenge by participating in the initiative and left them with the message: “We cannot continue with what has become the norm. You are poised to be the change that we so desperately seek. We look to you to reintroduce in your own creative ways, the values and attitudes which once made our society beautiful. I thank you, I admire you and I love you.”
At the end of it all, Tanisha Peter from the Choiseul Secondary was presented with the most outstanding Young Leader award by minister Gaspard Charlemagne. St Mary’s College was presented with the Award of Merit for third place while Choiseul Secondary secured the second place Award of Excellence. Emotions ran high for students of the Entrepot Secondary when it was announced that they’d secured the first place Award of Distinction, earning $5000 for their school, $2000 for the teacher involved and $100 book vouchers for the students.
The project theme for next year as revealed by RBTT representative Juanita St Omer: ‘Water: Beyond the Surface, Sustaining Life, Securing our Future.’
