George Stephens Young Leaders off to bright start

The George Stephens Senior Secondary School kicked off its 2016 RBC Young Leaders project with a launch at the school compound on Tuesday, February 16, under the sub-theme: ‘Changing to enhance for a brighter future’.

Featured speaker, journalist and 2015 Queen’s Young Leader award recipient Kenville Horne gave an emotional presentation on the issue of personal development.{{more}} According to Horne, it is through personal development that we are able to help each other and create a better society.

The journalist used his experience, coming from an underprivileged background to the point of starting a sports programme for youths and receiving an award from Queen Elizabeth II, as a means of impressing upon the youths the importance of personal development and helping to create a better future.

He said that this year’s theme wants us to move from thinking about ‘me’ to thinking about ‘we’, and this can be achieved through building self-confidence and self-esteem, developing self-awareness, and demonstrating respect, unity, and humility for all human beings.

The 2015 Queen’s Young Leader award recipient told the students that at this point of their life they must stay away from drugs, alcohol and risky sexual behaviour if they want to develop personally.

Horne also spoke to the youths about the importance of spiritual growth. “Many of us have turned away from God; we have embraced the devil, and now we are paying a heavy price. The rapid increase in technology, while having tremendous advantages, has also propelled the speed of our moral and spiritual demise,” he said.

Horne impressed upon the Young Leaders that they now have the important task of going out there to make a difference in their communities, country and the world.

“This means that you have to realize your skills and qualities; consider your aims in life and set goals in order to realize and maximize your potential.

“Always be confident in yourself; don’t be afraid to try, and even if you fail, you will learn from your failure. Pick yourself up and go again. You have two hands, one to help yourself, the second to help others. If I can do it, then I am sure, all of you can,” said the Young Leader, to loud applause from the audience.

President of this year’s Young Leaders Zhane Lewis also delivered brief remarks, outlining her group’s programmes for the duration of the project. She said that they will be approaching the project in two phases; the first phase through an outreach programme, in which Young Leaders will identify how to foster more positive personality traits and focus on encouraging students to be themselves.

“This, we hope, will trickle down to the school body. Students will be encouraged to display their talents, participate in sporting activities and will also receive counselling sessions about how they can adopt more positive habits and attitudes,” said Lewis.

The second phase will see Parent Teacher Association meetings and parenting workshops being targetted in an effort to motivate their children. Other schools will also be included in the Young Leaders’ plan for a better society.

The launching also witnessed performances from the Young Leaders, including a skit on teenage pregnancy.

The 2016 RBC Young Leaders’ theme is: Me… You… We: A shared vision for a better society.