Dancehall legend Jason Williams also known as Don Yute of the Golden Child Music group is ensuring that his partnership with the Autism community is one he stays committed to.
The entertainer a sponsor of the Autism and Disabilities Ambassadors competition is providing one of several prizes being offered to this year’s winner 14 year old Sicourney Jackson of Queens High School in Jamaica, a brand new laptop valued at just about 180-thousand dollars.
He is joined by fellow world renowned entertainer Chino McGregor who will be a featured special guest at the inaugural Autism and Disabilities Banquet slated for this Saturday April 28-2012 - at the Wyndham Kingston Jamaica.
Chino is using his celebrity to gain positive momentum for the Autism awareness cause in Jamaica, as being pushed by The Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation (MCADF), which operates out of Jamaica.
Other sponsors include the One Stop Computer store (OSC), Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, Senator Norman Grant, Super Plus, Billionaire Entertainment, the Wyndham Kingston Hotel and Outaroad.com.
This year’s winner was announced on Sunday April 22-2012 and is 14 year old Sicourney Jackson.
Ms. Jackson has made history by being the sole choice of judges from a field of 100 contestants from across Jamaica. As well as being the youngest person at 14 to ever have won the contest.
She wrote in her winning essay, “I believe that Autistics should still be treated with the same level of respect. They have the same rights that any normal person has and even though they have a disability, it doesn’t mean they are not capable of anything. They deserve to be treated in a special way so that we can learn from them and they can learn from us. There is no exact explanation of the causes of Autism but most of these persons go through life with the help of others and a lot of support from the persons who are dedicated to serving persons with disabilities.”
Sicourney worked at fulfilling contest requirements between January and April 2012, for this year’s Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation’s Autism and Disabilities Ambassadors competition.
During that period she set up displays at her school, crafted to tell about various disabilities - as well as at a Jamaican mosque …working closely with her supervisor, to get the work established.
She wrote letters to the editors of the national newspaper, to advocate for citizenry to be mindful and more careful of how they treat with the nation’s disabled also.
She also wrote a required essay on a disability of her choice, which was adjudged the best receiving the highest score of all submitted 9 out 10 from the competition’s judges.
Out of 100 entrants from across the nation, Sicourney distinguished herself as the only young person to stay the course of the three month assessment period, maintaining a high standard of delivery of all the requirements to win the contest.
The judging panel which consisted of all 8 members’ board of directors of the Foundation as well as new sponsorship partners such as dancehall legend Don Yute and Senator Norman Grant patron of the Autism and Disabilities Foundation.
Sicourney researched and wrote about Autism for her required piece an essay saying - “parents who have a child with autism usually feel a sense of confusion because they have to relate to their child differently than relating to a normal child”.
She added, “even though a person with Autism doesn’t communicate with others in the normal way, the help from others or even a parent will help them to know that there is someone that they can relate to. When you are getting to know an Autistic person you not only teach them but they teach you. They can teach you how to approach a situation cautiously or even how to observe keenly to their behavior, their likes and dislikes”.
Sicourney volunteered to help disabled children during the course of here assessment while balancing her schoolwork and cited that experience as really eye opening.
Again the competition proved telling according to Foundation managing director Maia Chung, - we need these youngsters to see that it is stamina and dedication that is necessary to treat with the disabled.
Ms. Chung added that – “we are determined to ignite behavioral change among the next generation of government leaders, special educator, parents of the disabled coworkers and general citizenry that will have to deal with an ever growing and relevant part of the population; the disabled”.
Chung added, “ we have many other programmes to address our mandate - TV programmes, PSAs, the Autism information Kiosk at the Tom Redcam library in Kingston Jamaica, Fundraisers, partnerships to support Autism and Disabilities care facilities - but each mechanism, targets a different part of the problem”.
Ms. Chung said “this competition is our flagship effort to commemorate or mark global Autism month, which occurs in April”.
Director of the Board Nicole Hayles said, “This year like last year we sought six ambassadors. Last year we found three, Nicole Nation overall winner, Javanna Haughton and Shavell Skeel.These young women won just roughly 200 –thousand dollars’ worth of prizes, internships and scholarships”.
Ms. Hayles added “this year the prizes are valued at just about 500-thousand dollars which will all go to Ms. Jackson she really deserves them, at just 14 she has already showcased the grit we need as a part of the work we do, and how we want to be represented as an organization”.
She continued, “She will receive all the prizes as a result of her extreme focus and excellent efforts which tens of thousands in cash prizes two computers a laptop as well as a handheld computer, she will be the guest of honor at the fully sponsored Wyndham Kingston Jamaica inaugural Autism and Disabilities Ambassadors Banquet.
That banquet will cater to 35 exclusive guests.
According to Director of the Board Jeanette Gordon, “the prizes have increased in value this year taking us from roughly 200-thousand last year, with international chain Wyndham coming on board to put on the fully sponsored banquet our prize value is just about half a million. This means that the brand we have is gaining credibility and we hope this will bring more sponsors on for the future, so we can use incentives to get the youth populace involved. We need these young people buying into this situation, as the real change may emanate from their efforts”.
This particular competition is designed to address the needs of making the youth populace of Jamaica become aware of their responsibility for the marginalized in their country, using incentives to drive their involvement.
Board member Cassius Watson says, “Our Foundation is happy if we find one worthy winner, despite each year looking for six”.
Autism is defined by the Autism Society of America (ASA) as: "Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development."
Photo Dancehall Legend Jason Williams a.k.a. Don Yute
Most signs or characteristics of Autism are evident in the areas of speech or communication (verbal and non-verbal). Many of the signs or symptoms of Autism begin presenting themselves between 2 and 6 years of age.
(Photo) Chino McGregor with his daughter is determined to build a better Jamaica starting with the youth.
mcautismfoundation@gmail.com
