Twenty-two-year-old Vanessa Williams, believed to be the youngest Caymanian to have achieved the CPA (Certified Public Accounting) qualification, was honoured at the West Bay Adventist Church on Saturday, 10 December 2016.

Church Pastor Reinaldo Dracket said that his church felt it important to take time out to recognize academic achievement which seems to often take second place to sports.

“Vanessa represents many others who have worked hard to succeed,” said Pastor Dracket, quoting scripture in his admonition: “The wise man, Solomon, says:  ‘Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might.’ “

Attending the recognition ceremony, the Leader of the Opposition and West Bay member of the Legislative Assembly, the Hon. McKeeva Bush, commended Ms Williams for being the youngest resident in West Bay and the Cayman Islands to earn the CPA.

A 2010 graduate of Cayman Academy, Ms Williams earned her associates in accounting at ICCI. She was awarded her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude at the age of 20 years in 2014 from Andrews University in Michigan, USA. Returning home, she completed her master’s degree in accounting and sat her CPA examinations in 2016.

Today she works at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a leading business consultancy firm in the Cayman Islands.

The Leader of the Opposition commended Ms Williams’ father, Mr Noel Williams, for his role as a single parent in raising his daughters.  He also recognized the contribution of Cayman Academy to the education of youth in the Cayman Islands.

Pastor Shion O’Connor, president of the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and who later preached at the service, also commended Ms Williams and congratulated her parents and her family for giving her a solid foundation.   He noted that the honoree is a product sample of Cayman Academy.

Pastor O’Connor concluded his remarks with a general exhortation to Cayman’s youth to strive for their best: “To our young people, God did it for and through Vanessa; He can do it for you too. Do not settle for less.”

He advised youth not to seek to become rich and famous with little effort.  “You enjoy something more, when you have worked for it,” he said.