Flow/Rotary Awards Youth Leaders. In photo: Chris Issa, President Rotary Club of Kingston , 1st place winner, Zonya Pryce, 2nd place winner, St. Rachel Ustanny of Kingston , 3rd place winner, Oshane Hamilton of Trench Town St. Andrew, and Sharon Roper, Director of Marketing, Flow.

Zonya Price of Christiana is the first ever national Flow/Rotary youth leader.  Zonya won the title from 18 other nominees from across Jamaica, in a special youth award implemented by Flow and the Rotary Clubs of Jamaica.  The Award known as the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) recognizes outstanding leadership qualities from youth.

 

Under this activity over seventeen Rotary clubs of Jamaica nominated young people from across the island who have demonstrated positive leadership skills and who are performing outstanding community service in their schools, youth groups and communities.

The Flow/RYLA activity also brought together over 400 other young people from across Jamaica between the ages of 17-30 for targeted leadership training at a special conference and awards ceremony held on May 16, 2009, at the Courtleigh Auditorium, Kingston.  At the conference young people were exposed to several presentations on leadership from business leaders across Jamaica, including two special presentations from Entertainer Wayne Marshall and Ruel Reid, Principal of Kingston College.

According to the judges of the Awards, who comprised members from Flow, Rotary Clubs of Jamaica, Development and Communications specialists, the young leaders nominated by Rotary Clubs across the island were extremely impressive and their profiles made for intense deliberations.

The nominees were evaluated based on four main criteria:

• Demonstrated leadership skills, as evidenced by sustained contribution at a senior level in a school or community organization;
• Excelled in academic achievement;
• Demonstrated fortitude and focus evidenced by high achievement, despite obstacles and challenging circumstances, and
• Impact/benefit to others evidenced by involvement in projects which empower others to earn, achieve and improve themselves.

In her application, Zonya said that “poverty eats, sleeps and lives” at her doorstep but regardless of her financial constraints she will always find a place in her heart to encourage others to have faith and never give up.  She also said that “a leader is a monarch, one who stands resolute above others, through the strength, courage and determination he or she possesses.
The deputy head girl at her school, Zonya is also an honour student with a grade average of A.   She is a peer councilor, member of her school choir, ISCF club, 4H club, Captain of the school debating team and President of the Interact Club.  She volunteers selflessly in her school and home communities.

Second place winner, St. Rachel Ustanny from Kingston, holds a PhD in educational leadership from Northern Caribbean University, a BSc in International Relations, and an MSc in Gender and Development studies from the University of the West Indies, Mona.
She has spent the last four years working as an advocacy specialist and community educator and researching and communicating about HIV prevention.  She says, like Paul J. Meyer did before her, “leadership is the engine of productivity, characterized by: commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused efforts.”

Third place winner, Oshane Hamilton is a young leader who sets goals and achieves them. He holds ten (10) CXC passes, has volunteered in the Boys Town Back to School programme, is an active member of his Key Club where he has contributed to seven (7) service projects and amassed 16 hours of community service for this year already.  He says, “As future leaders of the nation the youth must make the utmost choices; choices that are right and will benefit all.” In this regard, he says, “I would rather hold 10 subjects in my hands rather than a gun.

The other regional winners were:  Nyoka Powell nominated by North St. Catherine Rotary Club, Jevon Reid, from Spanish Town; Craig Batchelor, Trafalgar; Remon Goulbourne, Liguanea Plains; Nakia Lowe, St. Andrew North; Camille Brady, New Kingston; Crystal Gayle, Portmore; Kevon Brown, Port Antonio; Tiffany Case, Maypen; Elvis Oliphant, Mandeville; Jerome Johnson, Montego Bay East; Shane Malcolm, Montego Bay; Mereika Strachan, Falmouth and Sharren Robinson, Savanna-La-Mar.

The RYLA and conference is part of a broader initiative where local broadband communications company Flow, and the Rotary Clubs of Jamaica combined forces to help Jamaican youth achieve their full “leadership” potential.  Flow contributed $2.4M in cash to this initiative. 

The Programme consists of four components:

• The Flow/Rotary Leader Act initiative: This activity focused on mentoring young people through a series of training modules to build critical leadership and life skills.  These young leaders will also have the opportunity to conceptualize community development projects, and submit these for funding under the Programme.
• Lunch with a Leader Programme exposed young people from select communities across Jamaica to other national leaders such as sporting heroes, business leaders, and positive role models to learn from their experience, and interact on a social basis.
• Early Act, a service club for primary and preparatory school children 5-13 years old to help build their leadership potential through specific training and mentoring.
• And the Rotary Youth Leadership Award