With 80 overall awardees including seven gold award winners, the 2013 and 2014 batches of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipients are impressing even seasoned followers of the programme in the Cayman Islands.
Following two years of diligent work, the students earned a total of 45 bronze, 28 silver and 7 gold awards, National Chairman of the Cayman Islands National Award Authority, Katherine Jackson said.
The majority of the award recipients, including one gold awardee, received their pins and certificates at a function at Government House on 27 May 2015 from Her Excellency the Governor, Helen Kilpatrick. The other six gold winners received their awards from the Governor at the recent Queen’s Birthday celebrations.
Earning gold awards were Marc Reid, Adam Jackson, Samantha Mascarenhas, David Terry, and from the Cadet Corps, Lance Corporal Joseph Burey, Sergeant Antanika Ebanks and Second Lieutenant Natalie Williams.

All the current recipients, ranging from 14 – 25 years, are studying in local youth organisations, schools or colleges or overseas tertiary institutions. Local institutions include St. Ignatius Catholic High School, Grace Christian Academy, Cayman Prep and High School and Cayman International School as well as the Girls Brigade and the Cadet Corps.

The popular development programme has touched over eight million young people’s lives around the world.
Ms. Jackson explained that the programme challenges young people to develop their lives and broaden their horizons by participating in extra-curricular activities.
These activities cover four main areas:
• service to encourage participation in and provide help to the community;
• skills to promote the development of personal interests and practical skills, including learning a musical instrument and cooking;
• physical recreation to nurture physical fitness and better participation in sports; and
• adventurous journeys to foster a spirit of adventure and discovery.
Completion of the activities can take up to six months in the bronze category, between six months to a year in the silver, and about two years in the gold category, or more if the student is away in an overseas university. To transition from one level to another, the students have to complete increasingly challenging tasks that call for better decision making skills and physical fitness.
In addition to completing the tasks, the participants have to undertake a camping adventure journey. Bronze award candidates attend a weekend exploration adventure on Grand Cayman, while the silver expedition is usually a three day-two night event held on Cayman Brac on a public holiday weekend, Ms. Jackson explained. A group project is also included in every expedition.
“The gold adventurous journey has grown to become an outstanding adventure and young leaders’ summer camp,” she revealed. Hosted by the Caribbean Award Sub-Regional Council comprising 14 member countries, the camps are attended by gold participants from around the Caribbean and Central and South American region. The countries take turns hosting the two-week adventurous journey and young leaders’ camp each year.
The Cayman Islands has been participating in the regional camps since 1990 and was the host country in 2000, she said.
Explaining that the programme encourages students to focus on personal development rather than competition, Ms Jackson said: “The award is simply a balanced programme of activities which can run parallel to any other youth programme, thus allowing the young people to achieve high standards and build their self-confidence and leadership skills.” As the students progress in the programme, they assume greater leadership roles. Gold candidates participate in the National Committee monthly meetings, as well as mentoring and assessing the bronze and silver participants. “Right now we are grooming 16 rising stars in leadership,” she added.
The Cayman Islands currently has a total of 64 gold award holders, many of whom occupy prominent positions in the local community, with the potential to take on future leadership roles, Ms. Jackson noted.
Photo Captions:
National Chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh Cayman Islands Award Authority, Mrs. Kathy Jackson outlines the highlights of the programme at the awards presentation reception at Government House on 27 May 2015.
Gold award recipient Adam Jackson assists by handing out pins to Bronze and Silver award achievers at Government House.
Her Excellency the Governor presents a gold award to Cadet Corps’ Lance Corporal Joseph Burey at the Queen’s Birthday parade and celebrations on 13 June 2015.