Youth called upon to be determined and persevere to achieve their goals

Sticking with the good values learnt at home and resisting the lure of the bling culture which promotes hype over substance is critical to achieving one’s life goals. And it matters not which high school you attend, if you adhere to some simple, solid principles, you can accomplish what you want.

That was the main takeaway from Vashan Brown who delivered the keynote address to the Youth Academic Achievement Awards virtual ceremony last Friday.

Brown, who is senior reporter, producer and news anchor at Television Jamaica, a member of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group of which The Gleaner is a member, said that their present circumstances should not be allowed to determine where and how far they go in life.

Determination and perseverance are the keys to achieving the impossible, Brown declared, citing examples of his own struggles in life to support this statement.

“Stay true to your values, do not compromise those values to try to fit in. I know that we are living in a society in which hype and glamour are glorified. You are cool if you wear certain clothes, can sport the latest styles or can afford to buy the things that most of your peers or friends are buying.

“But please do not get involved in anything illegal to get the things that you want. Bun that kind negativity, do not abandon the values that brought you here. Those values that led to you being awarded for your outstanding work.”

Instead, Brown told them to think big and set very high targets in terms of their career goals. And he offered a road map into the kind of mindset that will get them there.

“Think big, but thinking alone is not enough. You must also take the steps to turn those dreams into reality. The future you wish to claim requires a certain skill set and it cannot be achieved by being lazy, unwilling or being arrogant. It’s future that is competitive, where only the best will survive, where the statement ‘fortune favours the prepared’ holds true – the future is in your hands. So dream big and turn those dreams into reality.”

Jamaica joined the rest of the world in observing Friday as International Children’s Day. Child Month is usually observed in May but the National Child Month Committee has undertaken several activities to celebrate children throughout the year.