The Tribune

By Tosheena Robinson-Blair

ALTHOUGH she lived only 3.5 miles away in Kemp's Bay, it took Cassidy Rolle 16 years to visit Black Point, South Andros.

"I've lived in Andros all my life and had never explored Black Point until a hiking expedition with the Governor General's Youth Award took me there. It was a new experience," said the South Andros High twelfth grader who received her Bronze Award from the internationally recognised programme on May 24.

GGYA creates opportunities for young people to develop skills, get physically active, give service and experience adventure. The latter comes during the two-day, one-night adventurous journey (hiking expedition) where Bronze participants walk a minimum of 15 miles.

"The programme provided an opportunity for participants to investigate different landscapes during practice and qualifying hikes. During the adventurous journey they gained a better understanding of where they live," said Jerome Forbes, the Ministry of Education's district superintendent for schools in South Andros and Mangrove Cay and GGYA's district coordinator.

Ms Rolle, a front-runner for valedictorian in her 2018 graduating class, was among ten students from South Andros to receive an Award from the world's leading youth achievement programme, which build's skills in teens and young adults to equip them for life and work.

Rolle, who is off to the University of The Bahamas in the autumn, said: "The group wasn't as cooperative as I would like so I had to take the lead to show them what to do and ultimately get the job done," she said. "Overall the experience was a great one."

Award recipients include: Alvanique Bean, Aaliyah Brown, Shyante Brown, Ethan Gibson, Alayah Godet, Beyonce Robinson, Cassidy Rolle, Joshua Rolle, Roderick Simmons, Brenton Taylor, and Jamel Thomas.