Outstanding teens to be honoured at annual awards

TUESDAY, JAN. 10: Teen Services is hosting their annual Outstanding Teen Awards on the 24th March 2012 at Fairmont Hamilton Princess. This event will mark the 29th time the organization has hosted these awards.

Executive Director Michelle Wade explains, “Teen Services is a local registered charity, and we provide comprehensive services to at-risk females, including pregnant teens and teen mothers.  The program offers counselling, community prevention outreach services, and transitional housing. 

However, we have always felt it part of our mission to honour and highlight teens that are achieving great things and thus, we began hosting the Outstanding Teen Awards in 1982.”  Past well known winners of the award include Dr. Malcom Brock in 1982 and Dr. Kianna Simmons in 1999.

Each year, the awards ceremony honours teens in different areas, including; academics, spirituality, and athletics.  Teens can be nominated for these awards by their school, church or other organizations. Volunteer judging committees determine the final winners. This year the organization has added a new category, Vocational Technical/Arts.

“Bermuda has a long history of success in the technical and trades fields,” Ms. Wade continues.

“Thus, we are excited to now have a category to award teens that are excelling in this area. We are accepting nominations for this category until this Friday, January 13th. We invite professionals in this field to submit a nomination for any young person, who is demonstrating a high level of talent and creativity in any of the vocational arts – that includes; motor mechanics, barbering, woodwork/carpentry, cosmetology, computer technology, design & technology, and culinary arts, such as cooking or baking.

The deadline for submittal of nominations for all other categories is closed and we are in the process of interviewing each nominee.  At this time, we would like to thank those who have nominated a young person(s).

The ceremony will follow the format of a typical awards show, in that the winners will be announced at the event.  The winners of each category receive a $750.00 scholarship award and the Overall Outstanding Winner will receive a $2500.00 scholarship award. The monetary awards are sponsored by our lead sponsor KeyTech Group of Companies and various corporate and individual members of the community.

Ms. Wade concludes, “The focus on our young people is often negative.  The Outstanding Teen Awards is a great way for our community to congratulate, support, and encourage our teens, who are remaining committed to their future and inspiring others to do the same.

“We hope that the community will continue to support this event, as they’ve done for the last 28 years.  Anyone that is interested in getting more involved in this event, either as a sponsor or volunteer should reach out to us at 292-4598 or at [email protected].”