I entered the Creative Cultural
Writing Competition hosted by the Cayman Island’s Self Help Foundation. The CEO
of the Self Help Foundation is Mr. JC Connor. It is a foundation that is
established to motivate, encourage and positively influence the community,
especially, the youths of our Islands.
The main goal of the Self Help
Foundation is to build a proper foundation for the youths, so that they will be
able to build upon it with their actions and successes. I submitted my writings
in the early part of July 2010. I submitted a poetry piece titled The Cayman
Islands and a cultural skit in which I went back into time as how it was in
2004 when the Cayman Islands were notified that Hurricane Ivan was hastily
approaching. I also wrote a news report article, where I was required to
mention various problems and issues facing the young people of the Cayman
Islands.
The goal was to research the issues
and write about those issues. I was also required to propose a solution on how
I, a young man of the Cayman Islands, could make a difference in the community.
The last piece that I submitted was a very informative essay/journalism writing
titled The History of Broadway. When I wrote this piece, my goal was to ensure
that whoever gets the opportunity to read it will feel as though they are
presently experiencing it. I made sure that The History of Broadway was very
descriptive. It was quite long, but I feel it was worth it. I must add that
this writing was based on my 15-point outline that I created.
After submitting my writings, I
also attended a two-day photography workshop hosted by local photographer Mr.
Patrick Broderick on September 18th and 19th. This workshop was also held by
the Self Help Foundation. The awards ceremony for the Creative Cultural Writing
Competition was originally supposed to be held on 30 September 30, but due to
the rainy weather, it was postponed to 7 October. At the awards ceremony, I was
asked to open with prayer and also I was asked to lead the singing of the
national song, Beloved Isle Cayman. At the ceremony, I received a Certificate
of Participation/Attendance for the photography workshop and a first place
certificate for winning the writing competition.
Along with the first place certificate,
I also won a Toshiba laptop. It was a very thrilling experience! I have to
applaud the Self Help Foundation for their great and positive work throughout
the community. It certainly brought various young people together to be
involved in something not only positive, but also we were involved in something
very futuristic and influential.
One thing I would love to see is
the students of Wesleyan Christian Academy continuing to go out into the
community, be a positive role-model, stand up and do something great and
memorable for the Islands. We all have God-given abilities to make a positive
difference.
Lloyd Barker
Senior at Wesleyan Academy
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