At his inauguration, Jamaica's Governor General Sir Patrick Allen profoundly said: "I believe must be etched in every classroom ... it must be internalised in the heart of every student until dreams are born as to whom they can become and the contribution they can make to the development of their nation." On Thursday, September 24, Surrey's finest were presented with the Governor General's Achievement Award at a ceremony held at Morant Villa Hotel, in St. Thomas.

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Hopes Jamaica will be violence-free

Robert Moreland

He grew up in Kingston 4, but he and his parents were determined not to be side-tracked by the negativity in that community.

For his effort, 21-year-old Roberto Moreland was awarded the Governor General's Achievement Youth Award for the parish of Kingston.

Moreland is a holder of a private pilot license having recently graduated from the Caribbean Aviation Training Centre. He attained the second-highest score in his class and was awarded for being the most improved student.

A volunteer at heart, Moreland is oftentimes involved in community projects such as cleaning parks and painting pedestrian crossings.

Called "Pilot!" by his friends in the community, Moreland also tries to be an example for his friends.

He kept his responses short and to the point when speaking to The Gleaner about his dreams.

"My first dream for Jamaica is a violence free country, and I would like to see everybody living on a normal level like the inner-city people and the bigger heads," he said.
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'J'cans should be more caring'

Kordel Clarke

Kordell Clarke has a love for numbers. This Governor General's Achievement Youth Award recipient for St Andrew has 12 CXC subjects and is aspiring to be an actuary.

Clarke, currently in the sixth form at the Alpha High School, is heavily involved in the youth ministry at the Ebeneezer Methodist Church. The Tivoli Gardens resident is a peer counsellor and is involved in the Key Club, Tourism Action Club and the Inter-School Christian Fellowship.

Her dreams for Jamaica is based on her activism.

"I would like to see every Jamaican aware of what is happening in the country and not just hear say ... To have a personal interest in what's going on and being up-to-date in every aspect of Jamaican history," she said.

She believes that if every Jamaican turns a blind eye, then the whole society will go down the wrong path.

She would also like to see Jamaica harness its potential.

"I would like to see a united Jamaica, with the community involved in kids' upbringing and not just a fight against each other," she said.

Finally, she wants Jamaicans who live here to show their love for the island by becoming caring citizens.

"I would like to see Jamaicans working in making Jamaica a better place. Because Jamaica is where we are from and there is nowhere we can go to feel like we are home. No matter how we go and establish citizenship in another country Jamaica will always be our home," she said.

- Stories by Mark Beckford
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Moulding mind

Adli Lewis

A teacher by profession, 23-year-old Portlander, Adli Lewis, moulds minds of his charges at Boston Primary.

He said that while growing up, his mother taught him that no matter the person's status, they should be respected. He tries to pass this on to his students and hopes that they will stay out of trouble.

"My three dreams for Jamaica are one, crime and violence definitely has to go. Even if it is not totally eradicated but to see a drastic reduction," he said.

Lewis revealed that he got involved in the education system to assist in transforming it from within.

He is also the assistant district commissioner of the East Portland Scout group and the coordinator of the debate club at his school. He believes young minds are impressionable and aims to change them for the better.

"I want to see the education system transformed and that is why I'm working so hard in this sector. I want Jamaicans to see education as the main focus in Jamaica," he said.

Lewis, who is a product of a single parent home, said he was taught by his mother the value of hard work and strong morals.

He said he was determined to make sure that his family never experienced the same difficulties he had.

He has his dreams for Jamaica.

"I definitely want to see us go back to those moral values that we once had in Jamaica," he said.

"We definitely need of our young people to be of greater discipline we need them to be upstanding people in the society," he continued.
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Wanting to help the less fortunate

Jeneel thompsonJeneel Thompson is on top of the world. She is waiting to be called to the bar after completing her exams at the Norman Manley Law School at the University of the West Indies.

She recently graduated from school winning prizes for the most outstanding student in legal aid clinic 2008/2009 and the Rattray Patterson Rattray prize for legal aid clinic 2008/2009.

Her interest in law is spurred by her deep interest in helping those that are less fortunate.

The Governor General's Achivement Youth Award recipient for St Thomas hopes her training will aid in assisting individuals where justice is not done.

Her dreams are based on her goals for herself and her nation.

"I want to see a society in which the justice system has a greater improvement. I have a great passion to assist individuals, to ensure that their needs are met adequately," she said.

She also wants Jamaicans to be more humane to each other, showing a high regard for their lives.

Thompson, who is a director of the Duckenfield Primary Alumni Association, is also a firm believer in education.

"I want a society in which our population has more persons who are more educated. I want to see an increase in literacy level in Jamaica with an improvement in education," she continued.

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Wants a crime-free Ja

Lori-Ann Haye

Lori-Ann Haye sees economics as a way to effect change in Jamaica. And, as such, pursued a career in that field.

At 22, she is on her way as a bank teller but, that aside, she knows she can do much to help her community members. This is where her dreams come in.

A community organiser in St Thomas, Haye has been active in her neighbourhood of Hampton Court.

She helps out at the Faith Soup Kitchen which feeds the elderly and also assists high school students on Saturdays to prepare for examinations.

She is one of St Thomas's youth recipient in the Governor General's Achievement Award.

The civic-minded Haye has several dreams for Jamaica.

"First of all, I would like to see full employment in the island. This will help with my second dream which will help with the rate of crime and violence. My community is not violent, but we have had situations which we could do without. There have also been violent incidents in St Thomas and when that happens it cripples people's future. When people don't get opportunities and there is unemployment then there will be crime and violence," she said.

The 22-year-old is also concerned with the literacy rate in her parish. She said during her interactions with people she has seen many cases where individuals are not literate. She hopes that this changes.

Her final dream has to do with her personal faith. Growing up in church fortified this says the former Tichfield High student.

"My third dream is to have a very religious society, fully religious with every one believing in God," she said.
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Making the most of mentoring

Kandi-Lee Crooks-Smith

Kandi-Lee Crooks-Smith is an all-rounder at Allman Town Primary School where she is principal. The thirty-one-year-old is determine to use her office to leave a lasting impact on her students and their parents as well.

She is the youth recipient of the Governor General's Achievement Award for Kingston.

Change, she believes, should not be cosmetic. Children, she considers, are bounds of potential waiting to unfold and in many ways.

"I wish for every single Jamaican student to be recognised as an achiever that whatever it is, whatever gift or talent that they are blessed in," she said.

Crooks-Smith said in her interaction with students she has seen some academically inclined, others leaning heavily towards the arts while others were giants on the playing field.

"Therefore, they should not be limited," she said.

"I would like to see our parents especially those in the inner city having a sense of real purpose and recognising that they are valuable assets to their child's development," she said.

Crooks-Smith values her role as a teacher and sees it a very important. She believes that children are essential components of a society and teachers should devise ways of keeping them interested. She says that if teachers hold themselves to high standards then students and parents will have to do likewise. She dreams that teachers become passionate professionals leaving no stone unturned in solving the problems of the classroom.

"I would really love to see our educators take a huge step in becoming very professional in the field that they have chosen," she said.

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Development through sports

Herman Reid

He may not be a Portland native, being born in Montego Bay, St James but Herman Reid has significantly contributed to his adopted parish.

His achievements are many and are driven by his dreams for Jamaica.

Reid's work with children in sports leadership and development for the past 11 years has earned him the coveted Governor General's Youth Achievement Award for the parish of Portland.

"My dreams for Jamaicans are for Jamaican parents to come alive to grooming their children in the right way, actualise their talents and dreams. And, to become more active in their lives," he said.

Reid has been assisting young Jamaicans in realising their dreams and, in doing so, helping Portland primary and all-age schools excel nationally in track and field. He also teaches junior teams football, cricket and track and field. And, this has fuelled his other desire.

"My dream for Jamaica is to market sports and to have stronger involvement in sports tourism," he said.

Reid believes that many children are sports-oriented and thinks that given Jamaica's strong sports programme, children could make a career out of this.

His third dream is aligned with his personal Christian belief. He believes Christian values can stymie the decline in morals in the Jamaican society.

"My dream is for all Jamaica to realise that its foundation is Christianity and we will all realise that there is a God and serve him."

More needed for males

Winston Wright

This St Andrew teacher is multifaceted. A Jamaican Renaissance man with hats in real estate, news editing, insurance, boys scout, 4-H club as well as the development of the August Town community.

Wright's passion play a hand in the dreams he has for Jamaica. He is one of two recipients of the Governor General's Achievement Award for St Andrew.

The awardee thinks young males need to be looked at closely. They are, according to Wright, the ones who are oftentimes featured prominently in crimes and violence as victims or perpetrators and they are the future.

"Firstly, we as a country, as a society, as a Government, as a people, should do something more positive and more constructive to organise an affirmative action programme to bring more of our young males into the mainstream of Jamaica's educational system, so that we can have more male teachers, more male role models, more male leaders and more male responsibility in the home, in the community and in the nation," he said.

As a member of the 4-H club, he entertains dreams about the nation's food security.

"Secondly, I would hope that we could devise a more comprehensive programme of agricultural production to ensure our national food security and less dependence on imported foods, so that people at the grass roots, in all the deserted villages around Jamaica, at the parish level and at the national level of the Ministry of Agriculture and

RADA, to get us to grow more of our Jamaican foods. It is good to promote cassava and rice. But what about bananas, mini-set yams, sweet and Irish potatoes and the very versatile breadfruit? Why is agro-industry not one of the major pillars of the Jamaican economy? What about processing our many exotic fruits and vegetables for export to the diaspora and to the world?"

His other dream deals with his vision for Jamaica to shed its negative association with politics.

"I dream the day would come when we as citizens of this young nation would be less tribal, less political and less partisan. Therefore, we could join together, join forces, join talents, join intellects, join energies, join hands as one people to build Jamaica land we love," he said.
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'Good parents needed'

Rohan Bryan

Rohan Bryan is of modest upbringing but his achievements and dreams are gigantic.

The 42-year-old is committed to sports development in the parish of St Thomas.

Bryan was one of three recipients for the Governor General's Achievement Award for the parish of St Thomas.

Bryan holds a bachelor's degree in physical education and a master's in sports administration. Since then, he has gone on to achieve Level I and II International Association of Athletics Federation coaching certification.

He has used his area of expertise in sports to train St Thomas youths and encouraging them to become better at what they do. In doing this, he hopes his contribution will help in achieving his dreams.

His first dream deals with what he sees as hampering Jamaicans movement and enjoying of the country.

"[My dream is to see] a society free of crime and violence where Jamaican citizens can freely enjoy the beauty of our lovely island," Bryan said.

He also wants persons put in charge of the island's affairs to efficiently do their job. He believes that too many times the potential of the people is kept under wraps because of mismanagement.

"The government needs to realise the true potential of the country so that we can move forward," he said.

Finally, he believes Jamaica's downward trend has been aided by a lack of parenting. This, he says, needs to change.

"Good parenting is the root of a good society. Once you get good parenting, most of Jamaicans problems can be solved," he said.

Education is the way

Dr. Odelley Henry

Not many places in the world may serve up tough circumstances like the community of Wilton Gardens otherwise known as Rema. But, not many places could produce an individual like Dr Odelley Henry.

Dr Henry is one of three Kingston recipients of the Governor General's Achievement Award.

Overcoming several hurdles set before him, Dr Henry is today a member of the board of Trench Town Primary. He achieved academic success while at the Excelsior Community College before completing a double major in Biology and Biochemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry. He also has a master's from the Mona School of Business.

His dreams for Jamaica are formed based on his experiences growing up in the inner city. He said that he has seen the effects of violence on his community and how it has ravaged those who live within its borders. He believes that education can uplift any community.

"My dreams are to achieve a 100 per cent education society. If young people from the inner city can uplift themselves then they can not only become better members of their communities, but they can uplift their communities," he said.

Dr Henry also wants to see a country devoid of violence.

"I want to see a violence-free population. I grew up in a polarised society where violence drove the community apart. I have seen it first-hand and until this day there are still individuals who do not trust each other."

Finally, he wants to see a more caring society where the country is more harmonious.

"I want to bring back the love and bring back the old time days where we have a community based citizenship. Where people care and share with each on a day to day basis and in all aspects and stage of life," he said.