MINISTER POWELL SALUTES THE 25 MOST REMARKABLE TEENS OF 2020 IN ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 27, 2020 (SKNIS): Hundreds of persons across St. Kitts and Nevis and others further afield were fixated on television sets and smart devices as the nation celebrated the accomplishments of 25 young people on Thursday, November 26, 2020.

The 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts and Nevis Award Ceremony saw inspiring stories of extraordinary young people being shared in several areas including Spiritual Commitment, Sports, Academics, Technology, Volunteerism, Spirit of Hope, Writing, Courage to Overcome, and Music to name a few.

The ceremony is unique as it is featured as a Special Sitting of the National Assembly. The profiles of the awardees are read by other young people and the awards are presented by Members of the Federal Parliament (MPs) from the Government and Opposition benches.

Minister of Youth, the Honourable Jonel Powell, who presided over his first ceremony as an MP and the Minister responsible for Youth this year, paid tribute to the teens for their contribution to national development.

“Mr. Speaker, what is most exceptional about these teens whom we celebrate this evening, is that many of them are phoenixes who rose from the ashes of bleak circumstances and overcame personal tragedies to achieve this recognition,” Minister Powell said. “This, in and of itself, is a clear indication of their innate ability to harness their intrinsic and available extrinsic motivators as they created their niches in life.”

The challenges of 2020, which featured the devastating impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, as well as the pressures faced normally by young adults were also mentioned.

Honourable Powell expressed that “Coping in an ever-evolving world as a changing physical, emotional and social being, has never been easy.  As a result, many succumb to the lure of peer pressure; antisocial community influences; the strains of poverty, and the pains of abuse.  Our modern world, though it presents our youth with amenities and opportunities that relieve them of several hardships that their parents faced as youth, it also bombards them with significant distractions and avenues to amplify negative and destructive influences.  Then comes the year 2020, a year that tests every strand of faith and resilience in each of us. Yet our young people remain firm and focused despite these challenges, and this ladies and gentlemen is truly remarkable indeed.”

The minister congratulated the parents, guardians, and others that make up the support system of the young people and encouraged detractors to overcome “individual biases and prejudices toward young people” and to “make a deliberate effort to acknowledge the unique challenges and offer meaningful encouragement, guidance, and support as they navigate the challenges of life on their journey toward success.”

The 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts and Nevis is held annually in November during Youth Month. This year marks the 10^th year of this recognition ceremony.
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