PM Youth Awardee Encourages Young People To “Take The Lead”

Founder and President of Bully Proof Kids International, Gabrielle Susanna Clarke, is encouraging more young people to take the lead in finding solutions to issues that impact them.

“I think that if you have the right intention, the determination, and the passion, you shouldn’t hesitate because you are only helping to build our country. Go for it. As young people, we should take the lead, share our ideas, and have our voices heard,” she tells JIS News.

The Immaculate Conception High School student’s advice comes from her own experience in establishing a foundation to address bullying, which she suffered.

“I was bullied in first grade by a sixth-grade student, and later, my brother was bullied as well. So, it hit me that I really needed to do something,” Gabrielle says.

“This eventually led to the birth of Bully Proof Kids at the age of 12. That’s when I started to share my experience and that of others as well. I believe that if this problem is not addressed, it can lead to crime and violence, which is already an issue in our society right now,” she says.

For her advocacy, Gabrielle was presented with the Prime Minister’s National Youth Award for Excellence for 2021 in the area of Youth Development.

“I am really, really honoured and grateful. It was not something that I expected to happen. I could hardly contain my excitement. I just couldn’t believe it in that moment,” she tells JIS News.

“However, I didn’t receive the award only for my work with Bully Proof Kids but also for my efforts at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and other ventures, and I intend to continue to partner with them,” she notes.

The trophy, along with a monetary prize from Sagicor Bank, was presented by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during a hybrid ceremony held last month.

Gabrielle tells JIS News that she will be investing the prize money into Bully Proof, including its outreach activities.

“We will use some of the money to purchase giveaways for students when we visit the schools, especially now that they have fully resumed face-to-face classes,” she notes.

The young trailblazer says she is grateful for the love and support of her family and friends, noting that they are delighted at her achievement.

“To say they are proud is an understatement. We had a little get-together,” she shares with a laugh.

Gabrielle, who says she is guided in her actions by the Holy Scriptures, advises young people “not to let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity”.

The Prime Minister’s National Youth Awards for Excellence recognises the seminal contributions of young people between the ages of 15 and 29 at home and across the diaspora.

Accolades are given in areas such as agriculture, environmental protection, music, sports, entrepreneurship, science and technology, leadership, and arts and culture.

Gabrielle is among 15 persons who received awards for 2021.