The Young Caymanian Leadership Awards event takes place Saturday at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Last year’s recipient was Garth Arch. This year’s group of five finalists represents the private and public sector. Here are the five finalists for 2013:
Michael Blackburn, 22
Mr. Blackburn is a graduate of John Gray High School and is studying for his associate’s degree at University College of the Cayman Islands. He is the after school assistant and one of the youth leaders for the John Gray Memorial United Church where he works with children ages 4 to 12.
He is also a church youth leader for children 12 to 20. He has organised numerous youth activities for the United Church Council and is an avid basketball player – he enjoys going to the courts, speaking to young people and in particular reaching those who need guidance.
He also enjoys listening to Christian music and has recently started rapping with Pauze entertainment, a local Christian group who sing and preach the Gospel.
Marzeta Bodden, 27
Ms Bodden is a graduate of John Gray and she is a senior marketing executive at Appleby. She holds an associate’s degree in accounting from UCCI and obtained a bachelor’s of business administration in marketing and finance from Florida International University in Miami. She also earned a master’s in marketing management from the University of Surrey in the UK.
She is the immediate past president of Rotaract Blue, the key platforms of which are disability awareness, HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness, healthy living, and environmental care and protection. As president, she led the club to receiving the highly-coveted Club of the Year award for District 7020.
She is also the 2012-2013 assistant district Rotaract representative for the Cayman Islands and serves as an adviser and mentor to the Cayman Islands clubs and their liaison to the district. She is also the 2012-2013 District 7020 public relations and communications chairwoman.
She is a member of the Cayman Islands Education Council, where she is actively involved in the formulation and execution of national education policy and strategy. She was cofounder of Cayman Loves Children (now disbanded), a nonprofit organisation dedicated to the soliciting of funds for the aid of impoverished youth through the United Nations.
She was also an active member and peer mentor of the Commonwealth Youth Parliament (Cayman Islands Branch).
Victor Crumbley, 27
Mr. Crumbley is a graduate of John Gray and has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University College of the Cayman Islands. Victor runs Dash Strategies, his own social marketing company incorporated to address youth development issues. Dash Strategies works with various public and private organisations advising on matters such as youth development policies, youth-targeted local radio and television shows.
Dash Strategies’ first major project has been a scholarship and mentorship programme for at-risk young men who would otherwise not pursue further education. He is past president of the Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman and past president of the Students’ Association.
He has volunteered with a number of government organisations, notably the Youth Services Unit and the Youth Commission. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman and he acts as a volunteer literacy tutor at John Gray.
Melanie Scott, 33
Ms Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in government and world affairs from the University of Tampa and a master’s in education from Walden University.
She has recently completed the National Program for Specialist Leaders of Behaviour and Attendance. She is a senior teacher at Creek and Spot Bay Primary School (Infants) in Cayman Brac.
In addition to her commitment to fostering an engaging and supportive learning environment for her students, she is actively involved in the community. She is the vice president of the Cayman Brac Business and Professional Women’s Club, she was a founding member of the Cayman Brac Junior Culture Club and served as the club secretary, she is the Cayman Brac Heritage and Pirates Week district chair and she has coordinated numerous summer camps for the Cayman Brac National Trust.
Shomari Scott, 34
Mr. Scott holds a bachelor’s of business administration (majoring in marketing) from Stetson University in Florida.
He is the director of tourism for the Cayman Islands. He has worked in tourism since he began as an intern in 1996 at the department, and he joined the department full time after receiving his degree.
His ascent through the organisation is well known, and he spent the past four years as acting director before being named director. Despite his young age, his appointment to director was met with universal approval from the private sector. He personifies the very Caymanian hospitality he is charged with promoting in his professional life and under his leadership, dozens of young Caymanian tourism leaders are being developed and mentored; he is the leader of the Tourism Apprenticeship Training Programme and also the youth Tourism Ambassador.
He is a keen sportsman and he is passionate about basketball – he played on the Cayman Islands National team for 10 years and over the past six years has coached both youth and men’s basketball in his free time.
Through the influence of his father, who has been director and continues to work at Bonaventure Boys Home, and his mother, a teacher, he has used basketball as a way to give boys a positive focus, channelling energy into sport versus less productive behaviours.
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