Bahamas Kidney Association Announces Winners of Essay and Video Competition
Nassau, July 16th, 2024 -The Bahamas Kidney Association (BKA) is thrilled to announce the winners of its recent essay and video competition, which aimed to promote kidney health awareness among high school students. The competition, held under the theme "Community Initiatives for Kidney Disease Prevention: How High School Students Can Lead Awareness Campaigns," received an overwhelming response from students across the country.
High school students play a crucial role in raising awareness about kidney health and prevention strategies. By engaging students in initiatives like this competition, the BKA aims to empower young people to take an active role in promoting health and wellness in their communities. The BKA also highlights the role of its Peer Educators, who are students themselves, in assisting with spreading the word about kidney disease prevention and education.
The winners of the essay competition are as follows:
1. Ethan Turner from Nassau Christian Schools - 1st Place
2. Tysha Johnson from St. Anne's School - 2nd Place
3. Jakayla Miller from International School of Business Entrepreneurship - 3rd Place
Ethan Turner's winning essay delved into the increasing incidence of kidney disease and the vital role high school students can play in combating this global health issue. Ethan highlighted how students, with their unique vitality and communication skills, can spearhead awareness campaigns, organize educational initiatives, and promote healthier lifestyles within their communities.
“Most important of all, high school students can effectively utilize social media platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram, and Youtube as powerful tools in the fight against kidney disease. They can achieve this through methods such as creating engaging posts, and sharing informative content. Additionally, leveraging popular hashtags related to kidney health further allows them to raise awareness among their peers and the wider community. Social media provides a platform for students to share personal stories, along with educational resources and practical tips for maintaining kidney health”- Snippet from Ethan’s essay.
In the video category, Zaria Stapleton from St. Augustine's College received special recognition for her outstanding contribution. Additionally, the BKA acknowledges and commends Mr. Jacob Williams, Language Arts Teacher at C.C. Sweeting Senior High School, for his dedication and support. Mr. Williams allowed his students to participate in the competition as a group project for English, resulting in the submission of 8 high-quality videos by 27 students in grade 11.
Chief Judge Katina Seymour provided insightful feedback on the submissions, stating, "This year, the essays were significantly stronger in content, ideas, development, creativity, and interests. Most students had relevant, relatable, and actual suggestions that high school students could do to create awareness. The use of literary devices was evident and skillfully used. The structure of the essays was very strong with clear introductions, bodies, conclusions, and topic sentences. There was greater use of advanced vocabulary. I enjoyed reading them!"
Prizes for the competition included a laptop for the first-place winner, and a tablet for both the second-place winner, and third-place winner.
The BKA commends all participants for their commitment to raising awareness about kidney health and applauds the winners for their creativity and dedication to the cause. The association remains committed to its mission of promoting kidney health and raising awareness about kidney disease in The Bahamas.
Contact the BKA at:
(242) 436- 1317
info@bahamaskidneyassociation.org
www.bahamaskidneyassociation.org
