When working with youth or in any philanthropic organization, it is sometimes difficult to maintain a high level of energy because of its taxing nature. There are many clubs and organizations in Anguilla that do so much for the development of youth and quite frankly if they did not exist, the country would be in dire straits. There are also many government departments, with many employees who are completely devoted, that help to ensure that children have programmes that can help them grow and lead productive lives. Although sometimes results in human development can be slow and not so apparent, these people still keep hope alive despite the fact that their rewards are not as tangible as in other sectors such as business where the rewards are in dollars and scents.

On an extremely personal level, I want to thank people who have devoted their lives and time to helping youth and people in general. As the Executive Director of the Anguilla Tennis Academy and a contributing journalist with The Anguillian, I have had the unique opportunity to become acquainted with other youth leaders and innovators in Anguilla and I have learned much from them. Although some organizations compete for recognition and attention for their efforts, it is still apparent that many of the goals are the same and day in and day out there is a great deal of collaboration. It is such a great feeling to be able to impact the lives of children on a daily basis and there is an enormous amount of gratification derived from watching and helping people grow in a positive way.

I want to make a special mention of school teachers in Anguilla. Currently, educators are hopefully engaging in some deserved rest at the moment and at the same time either reflecting on the past year or preparing for the next school year. Teachers are exceptional individuals and deserve much thanks and recognition for not only teaching our youth, but being their mentors and role models. It takes an incredible amount of courage and knowledge to teach a room full of children and that type of responsibility and commitment makes them heroes on a daily basis.

I encourage all those who have never been involved in a youth organization or a volunteer at one of the schools to please get involved. The warm feeling of satisfaction that one feels after having helped another individual achieve is worth much more than gold and if one has never experienced it, I highly recommend it.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News