Hope Academy student Camani Stuart, 15, has walked away as winner of the 2024 Youth Poetry Contest, organised by the New Self Help Foundation in partnership with the Youth Services Unit.
She was one of 10 finalists selected from 36 students representing high schools across the Cayman Islands to present their self-penned poems during finals held live on Radio Cayman on 16 Oct.
Stuart blew judges away with her winning poem, ‘The Breath of the Sea’, which was inspired by her father.
“He told me stories about how he used to go to the beach with his mom before she passed, and I just thought that was such a beautiful thing … that really inspired me,” Stuart told the Cayman Compass.
Ultimately, she snagged the first-place spot, earning a cash prize of $500. Johanah O’Connor from John Gray High School was awarded the second-place prize of $400, followed by Ikenna Eleweanya, also from John Gray High School, in third, winning a $300 cash prize.
“I’m very happy, very excited for the win. It was a great opportunity, and I learned a lot from the people at the workshop and the people that I was competing with. They really inspired me,” Stuart said.
The competition was “nerve-wracking”, Stuart added.
“I was really nervous going over my poem for the first 30 minutes. When they called me back, I was even more nervous, and I couldn’t hear anything because my heart was beating so hard. I performed and got it over with,” she said.
‘Raw talent brimming’
The competition was evaluated by a panel of judges, including established poets Karolyn Smith and Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette, who evaluated each poem and performance based on content and delivery.
“I was completely blown away by the calibre of talent showcased by the contestants in this year’s competition. From workshop to finals, it was a joy to watch as the young poets took the feedback given to hone their poems and performances,” Smith told the Compass.
She added, “This goes to show how there’s a need for this arm of the creative arts on island. There’s so much raw talent brimming here!”
Contest organiser JC Connor told the Compass, “We believe that this year’s youth poetry contest provides ways to raise awareness and inspire creative solutions. For a nation to succeed, it must stimulate and cultivate the creative imagination of its young people. Creativity is core to who we are; critical thinking builds a strong foundation for who we become. The demand for creative thinking is increasing in poetry; therefore, a transformative change is needed. When young people are encouraged, they become authors of new works.”
He added, “We have charted a brighter path for our community and our youths through the art of poetry and will continue to aim to inspire and educate our young people in helping them fulfil their maximum potential that will help stimulate the local economy through creative learning.”
In the future, Stuart wants to be an English teacher, saying, “Poetry is definitely a big part of that but for now, [I] will enjoy poetry as a hobby.”
Stuart said the cash prize will help with buying Christmas gifts this year.
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