Leaders and members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in East Jamaica Conference were delighted when news broke that two Adventist youths received the Governor General’s Achievement Award on May 26, 2022. His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen presented awards to both Ashleigh Onfroy and Vanessa Teena Turna for the 18 - 24 age category for the parish of St. Andrew and St .Thomas respectively. Both youths are active members in their churches and enjoy the love and support of their parents who are also seventh-day Adventists.
Ashleigh was selected for her outstanding academic awards and achievements including her ranking as the second most outstanding student in CSEC History Exams in Jamaica and the Caribbean and placing tenth in Jamaica for Literatures in English in 2017. She was Head Girl at the St Andrew High School for Girls where graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She is also a 2022 Rhodes Scholarship Finalist for Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean. Her student leadership roles have included several initiatives for youth engagement on issues impacting youth across the Caribbean Region. She is in the final semester of her studies as a student of History and Archaeology, Social Anthropology at the UWI, Mona.
Ashleigh is a member of the New Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church where she is an Adventist Youth Society Leader and Chairperson of the Global Youth Day Planning Committee.
Ashleigh Onfroy receiving her award from Governor General Sir Patrick Allen. :: Photo credit: Contributed
Ms. Vanessa Turner grew up with loving and encouraging parents, Lucan, and Tomico Turner, in Arcadia, St. Thomas and started her academic journey at the Morant Bay High School where she consistently delivered excellent academic performances. Not only did she secure ten subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) level, but she was presented with a CSEC Merit award for her performance in Food, Health, and Nutrition. Her passion in this area has led to her pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) where she has been on the Honor Roll since 2019 and the president of the NCU Nutrition and Dietetics club since 2020.
She has earned numerous awards and scholarships, being a 2021/2022 Sagicor Scholarship and the recipient of the Exemplary Academic and Citizenship Award 2021-2022 from the NCU College of Natural and Applied Sciences Allied Health and Nursing.
Vanessa Turner strongly believes in the spirit of volunteerism because it is a good way to meet new and interesting people while freely giving back to one's community. Her most recent participation and organization has been a Mother's Day Brunch for her community where her team of Seventh Day Adventist youths were able to serve 30 Mothers on May 8, 2022. She was also able to execute a Street Feeding program for the homeless of Mandeville sane/insane in April 2022 as a NCU Nutrition and Dietetics Club initiative.
Vanessa Teena Turner poses with her award :: Photo credit: Contributed
She has also participated in numerous church outreach activities over the years, most recently distributing Care Packages to those in need in her community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even though dedicated to her studies at NCU, Vanessa continues to avail herself to be of service to others with similar experiences as hers. Her story inspires many within her community, primarily for her hard work and dedication in an atmosphere where hope is faint. Vanessa is a awardee of the 2022 Governor Generals Achievement Award for St. Thomas (18-24 years) as a result of her excellent leadership skills, community involvement and outstanding academic achievements.
Launched in 1991, The Governor-General’s Achievement Awards (GGAA) recognizes and celebrates exceptional Jamaicans, who are leading change within their communities and are excelling in areas of leadership and academics despite the challenges they may have faced.