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Institute of Jamaica introduces Youth Musgrave Medal
FOR the first time in its 104-year history, the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) will be introducing a Musgrave award to honour a gifted and outstanding young Jamaican. The inaugural Musgrave Youth Award will be presented to computer whiz teenager, Makonnen Blake Hannah, at the annual ceremony scheduled for October 10, at 3:00 p.m. IOJ public relations officer, Carmen Wade-Barrett told The Sunday Gleaner, "Additions to the Musgrave Awards are by no means new. After all, initially only bronze medals were awarded, subsequently followed by silver, and the prestigious gold medal." She further explained that, with this new award, the Institute was seeking to bridge the "generation gap", and motivate young persons who have the potential to do well. "Over the years, older and established persons have been recognised for their work," she said. "but, this time, the Institute also wants to recognise a young person who is gifted. Criteria for the Musgrave Youth Award is "someone who has done research and has worked to implement improvement in the particular area." The age limit for the category is 25 years. At age 13, Mr. Blake Hannah was appointed as youth technology consultant to technology minister Philip Paulwell, and was recognised as the youngest government employee in the world. Schooled at home by his mother, Mr. Blake Hannah started using the computer at age four and built his firstWeb site at 12 years. Today the 16-year-old teen teaches technology to youth at TECH School, a Jamaican cyberschool, and also tutors at the Musgrave Home for Girls in Kingston. He has been involved in the design and maintainance of several corporate Web sites, as well as the production of 'Silicon Island', a television series on technology for the Caribbean and other developing communities. Conceived in 1889, the Musgrave Medal was intended as a memorial to Sir Anthony Musgrave, former Governor of Jamaica who founded the IOJ in 1879. The medal was designed by British sculptor Alfred Toft, and was first awarded in 1897 in recognition of excellence in art, science and literature. Eleven outstanding Jamaicans and one cultural group will be honoured at this year's Musgrave Awards ceremony for excellence in a variety of fields of ewndeavour.
The event will be staged on October 10 at 3 p.m. outside the Institute's office at 12 East Street to allow for community participation and added fanfare befitting the event. Receiving the sole prestigious Musgrave Gold Medal will be Professor Lawson Douglas Douglas, O.J, C.D., for urology in the field of science. There will be seven honorees in the silver category - Natalie Thompson, for film-making Eugene Williams, dean of the School of Drama at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA), for drama education Astley "Grub" Cooper, for music Fay Robotham, for music. Dr. Wayne McLaughlin, from the University of the West Indies, for science. Alexander Cooper, for art. Dr. Peter Vogel, from UWI, for science. Dr. Vogel will receive a Special Silver award as he is a non-Jamaican. Sylvia Thomas and Lilieth Sewell will receive bronze medals in the area of cultural administration and the teaching of folk music, respectively. The Hatfield Group will also be recognised for their contribution to folk music. At this year's ceremony, there will also be a reunion of awardees from the 1930s to the 1960s. Although many are deceased, among those expected to attend are artist, Albert Huie, who received a silver medal in 1958 and gold in 1974; Dr. Joyce Robinson, a silver recipient for library development; Carey Robinson, silver medallist in the field of broadcasting; choreographer, Eddie Thomas, and photographer, Ivanhoe Williams, who recived bronze medals in 1960 and 1962, respectively. Prominent artist, Carl Abrahams, is also expected to attend, the only living awardee in all three categories of the Musgrave Medals.
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