By Vernon Khelawan Monday, August 20 2012

Three winners of the Youth Speak Out Competition, organised by the Servol Central/ East Zone have been awarded bursaries by a small social organisation, Traffikliters. The competition was held in late June at the People of Praise Hall, Upper De Gannes St in Arima.

The objective of the competition was to allow the young trainees of Servol’s Adolescent Development Programme (ADP) to research topics of their choice and also to voice their opinions on current social and other issues facing the country and by extension the world. It also gave them the opportunity to display their public speaking skills which is one of the modules within the ADP curriculum.

The presentations were all rated as good by the judges as the competitors, all between the ages of 16 and 19, gave a good account of themselves, showing off their competencies in doing their research and their oratorical skills with the delivery of their findings.

Some of topics researched and presented included: “Some disorders of childhood that affects school success”; “Sex and the young people”; “Call me collect, not dunce and disgusting”; “Effects of deforestation” and “Self awareness”. Placing first was Denisha Burgess who attends the Chaguanas Regional Life Centre ADP. Her topic was “Call me collect, not dunce and disgusting.” She was awarded a bursary of $1,200 which would take care of her tuition fees for one year at the Servol Centres . Coming in second was Kataka Pardassie from the St Andrews Regional Life Centre with his presentation on the topic “Self awareness.” His prize was a scholarship valued at $800 to cover tuition fees for two terms at the Servol Centres for the skills of his choice. Copping the third place prize was a young man from the Arouca ADP with his topic presentation, “Some disorders of childhood that affects school success.” He was awarded a scholarship of $400 which covers tuition fees for one term at the Servol Centres.

All three scholarships, totalling $2400, were donated by sponsors the Traffikliters Association. The group is a five-year-old organisation comprising former employees of the Traffic Department of the now defunct State-owned airline BWIA who have banded themselves together to have fun while doing community service.

In extending thanks to the Traffikliters for their donation and support, David Jankey, Servol Co-ordinator for the Central/East Zone and the livewire behind the Youth Speak Out programme, expressed sincere gratitude for the assistance. Jankey, himself, a product of the Servol programme, is currently charged with the responsibility of Servol Centres in Arima, Chaguanas, Arouca and Sangre Grande, as well as the operation at the Youth Training Centre (YTC) at Arouca.