By Chad Feehan / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Mount Pearl’s best and brightest youth were honoured at the Glacier Arena last Thursday at the 34th annual Focus on Youth Awards.
Where usually sits a skating rink was a ball room of glitz, glamour, and excited youths and their families dressed to the nines, eagerly anticipating the results of each award announcement.
Summer Bennett and Grace Lee hosted the evening, while Mayor Dave Aker, MHA Lucy Stoyles, and MHA Paul Lane kicked off the night with opening remarks.
The first recognition of the night, the Youth Sport Team of the Year, went to the Mount Pearl Senior High boys basketball team. During the 2023-2024 season, the team won 22 games with only three losses. The squad also won the Hall of Fame Cup which ranked the players first in the province. The team also made a strong showing at the SSNL 4A provincial championships which it hosted, placing second.
The Youth Athlete of the Year Awards went to swimmer Chris Weeks and gymnast Jirah Hiscock.
Weeks joined the MUN Seahawks just last year and placed first in multiple competitions, became the top male point scorer, broke MUN swimming records, and was named Atlantic University Sport athlete of the week in November.
Hiscock represented the province with Campia Gymnastics at Atlantic, Eastern, national, and international competitions, placing first in most every event at the Atlantic Gymnastics competition. She also competed at the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas and was the only participant in her age group to represent Team NL at the Canada Winter Games.
The Youth S.T.E.M. Award was given to a resident who excels in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Sophia Zhang, described as a scientific humanist, brought home the award for her dedication to Level 1 studies in math and chemistry, after-school robotics, math club, and involvement with math competitions and science fairs, all taking up a whopping 34 hours a week.
Zhang won gold at the Eastern Newfoundland Science and Technology Fair, received a SHAD scholarship, and will represent Science Team NL at the Canada Wide Science Fair in Ottawa.
Musician Darcie Kelly won the Youth Performing Arts Award for her varied involvement with the performing arts. Kelly dedicates roughly 20 hours a week to voice, piano, fiddle and dance lessons, in addition to practicing on her own. Kelly has won prizes at the Peter McDonald Musical Theatre Sing-Off and the Kiwanis Musical Theatre, as well as numerous awards in dance competitions.
The Youth Visual Arts Award went to Quinn O’Dea, who specializes in painting, and textiles such as quilting and rug hooking. O’Dea spends about 10 hours a week working on her craft.
The Youth Literary Arts Award was presented to Hannah Smith who has been writing stories for eight years, spending about 12 hours a week immersed in words. Smith writes poems, prose, short stories, and essays, all in a well-researched and structurally organized manner.
The cast and crew of O’Donel High School’s Shrek the Musical received the Performing Arts Recognition Award for their family-friendly stage adaptation of the modern classic movie and Broadway show. From October to February of this year, the cast and crew spent 15 to 20 hours a week getting ready for the show's big premiere including read-throughs, rehearsals, choreography, costume fittings, and prop design before selling out three shows at the Arts and Culture Centre.
The RNC Youth in Service Award was accorded to Isaac Manuel, an A plus student with a full schedule of arts, sports, and volunteer activities. Manuel took on the role of Shrek in Shrek the Musical, is an avid curler, mentors folks younger than him, and is involved in community efforts like blood drives and the Relay for Life.
The Youth Group of the Year award went to the 807 Mount Pearl Kinsmen Air Cadets, who were described as a large group of community-oriented individuals who are all well-educated on respect and giving back. Outside of their mandatory training, they have participated in ceremonies, parades, and community cleanups.
The Youth Opportunity Fund Youth Volunteer of the Year Award went to Alex Taylor, the busiest young musician in Mount Pearl. Taylor constantly volunteers and performs with community groups such as the Mount Pearl Lions Club, the Canadian Legion, and seniors homes. Currently, he can be found performing at Rocket Bakery in Mount Pearl every Sunday.
Closing out the night were the John Rossiter Memorial Youth of the Year Awards, presented to Eamon Fogwill and Courtney Abbott.
Active in both the arts and sports, Fogwill managed to maintain a 90 per cent average while excelling in everything he puts his mind to. Playing both house league and all-star in hockey, Fogwill’s teams between 2023 and 2024 won the MCHL gold medal, the MPMHA U18 C Bronze Medal, and silver at the U18 Phonse Cup.
In the arts, Fogwill is a public speaker, performed as one of the Three Little Pigs in Shrek the Musical, and played the national anthem on electric guitar for the 2023 U18 All-Star Provincials.
Abbott is another of Mount Pearl's A plus students with a strong community presence. In addition to taking advanced level physics, biology, chemistry, math, and calculus, Abbott is a coach with the Mount Pearl Soccer Association, part of the O’Donel Welcome Committee, Relay for Life Committee, and other endeavors. She’s won many awards during her soccer career, including the Achievement Award for instilling confidence in four young goalkeepers. Involved in Girl Guides from Sparks to Pathfinders, she has also completed the bronze and silver levels of the Duke of Edinburgh award and is always looking for more volunteer opportunities.
In between awards, the night featured a stacked lineup of young performers including Darcie Kelly, Alex Taylor, Hannah Connolly, Emma Neville, the casts of O’Donel High School’s Shrek the Musical and Mount Pearl Senior High’s Husky Follies, and the Salt Beef Junkies.
