Chamber of Commerce and Education Ministry Launch 'Mentoring Cayman'
The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce in a public-private sector partnership benefiting students, businesses, employees and the community launched the "Mentoring Cayman" Programme at a reception held at the Westin Casuarina Resort and Spa on Saturday, October 19th. Several hundred current and future leaders of the Cayman Islands gathered in the Galleon Ballroom in a celebration of a Programme that in the words of Chamber President, Conor O'Dea "could potentially change your lives forever."
Mentor Darrel Rankine meets his student Mark Soto from Triple C
Patron for "Mentoring Cayman", the Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Bruce Dinwiddy, along with the Honourable Minister for Education, Human Resources and Culture, Mr. Roy Bodden, Chamber President, Mr. Conor O'Dea and Chamber CEO, Mr. Wil Pineau gave opening remarks about the mentoring programme to a packed Ballroom of students and their parents, together with the mentors and numerous other supporters including the Leader of Government Business, Mr. McKeeva Bush, and MLA Mr. Cline Glidden.
Task Force Chairman, Ray Farrington assists students in finding their mentors
Fifty students from John Gray High School, Triple C School, Cayman Prep High School, Wesleyan Christian and St. Ignatius High School, all of whom are academic honour students, were accepted into the inaugural year of the Programme and were matched with business and community leaders who have volunteered to serve as the students' mentor for this school year.
Proud parents of Monica Tonisso pose with her mentor, Lovinia Ebanks and her husband Mario
With the goal of providing excellent rewards for all of the parties involved, this joint initiative has all of the components for success.
Dr. Elaine Campbell getting together with her student LilEulen Aquiar and her mom
For the students, Mentoring Cayman will motivate them to achieve even higher results in school, while introducing them to potential career paths. The Programme aims to improve students self confidence, self esteem and commitment, while broadening their perspectives and creating new experiences and professional exposure in the workplace.
Wesleyan Christian Academy student Patrice Frederick's introduction to her mentor, Dr. Desiree Charles
Mentoring Cayman is an opportunity for the mentors to develop new abilities and understanding, while bridging the generation divide and gaining satisfaction and value for their contribution to their community.
Getting off to a great start student Dwayne Lee together with his mom, share a laugh with mentor, Peter Young
Businesses benefit from the Programme through forging stronger links and involvement with the youth of Cayman and the community as a whole, while their staff are able to increase their range of interpersonal skills.
Mentor Angelyn Hernandez and JGHS student Joanna Morrison
Congratulating the students on their academic achievements which enabled them to qualify for the Programme, Minister Bodden encouraged them to continue to excel and embrace the opportunities afforded through their one on one relationship with their mentors.
JGHS student Keyreaye Bodden is pleased to meet her mentor, Emily Tibbetts
The social portion of the Reception commenced after Mentoring Task Force Chairman, Mr. Ray Farrington, read the list of students and their mentors. With the formalities concluded, the youth with their characteristic excitement and enthusiasm, engaged their newly introduced mentors in an evening of discussion of the great possibilities for the future.
Lisa Cummins is happy to mentor JGHS student Rochelle Pryce
Mentors and students alike reported on the positive encounter they had with their "match" for the Programme at the conclusion of the Inaugural Reception.
The Chamber Council would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Chamber member partners for their time and generosity in making the launch of "Mentoring Cayman" such a fruitful and positive exercise for all parties. Special mention must be made of the students and their schools, as well as the mentors and their employers who are supporting the Programme this year.
| School Student Name
Organisation/Member Company Mentor St. Ignatius Shamar Ennis Health Services Authority Eloise Reid St. Ignatius Chantelle Day Walkers Attorneys-At-Law Vicky Hew St. Ignatius Erica Jackman CITN/Cayman 27 Anita Smith St. Ignatius Sheree Ebanks First Caribbean Bank Carol Braggs St. Ignatius Ashely Frazier Royal Bank of Canada Denise Ebanks St. Ignatius Lauren Langlois Water Authority-Cayman Gloria Glidden St. Ignatius Monica Tonissoo Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Co. Lovinia Ebanks Cayman Prep Natalie Ross Cayman Distributors Gailya Hall Cayman Prep William McTaggart Jefferson Financial Corporation Richard Parchment Cayman Prep Shawn Gutierrez A.L. Thompson's Home Depot A.L. Thompson Cayman Prep John Godfrey First Caribbean Bank Richard Lewis Cayman Prep Martin Nixon Phoenix Construction Dan Morisseau Triple C Brandon Bernard Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman Mark Bastis Triple C Tracy Hylton CI Monetary Authority Deborah Musson Triple C Jessica Ebanks Maples and Calder Teresa Lewis-Pitcairn Triple C Rochell Cooper Health Services Authority Abigail Parchment Triple C Mark Soto Cable and Wireless Darrel Rankine Wesleyan Patrice Frederick Education Department Desiree Charles Wesleyan Shiona Stewartson National Drug Council Cathy Chesnut JGHS Richard Hessing GM International Sales Lewis Harris JGHS Jhaneille Ennis Hunter and Hunter Brianna Ebanks JGHS Tonicia Williams Caribbean Utilities Company Caren Thompson JGHS Lori-Ann Speirs Caribbean Utilities Company Debbie Bergstrom JGHS Demiko Dracket Cable and Wireless Tim Adam JGHS Dwayne Lee Rothstein, Kass & Co. Cayman Peter Young JGHS Sean Douglas OBM Limited William Bissell JGHS Priscilla Pouchie Phoenix Construction Dawn Nakes JGHS Janine Mitchell CI Monetary Authority Cindy Scotland JGHS Stephanie Rattan Water Authority-Cayman Gelia Frederick JGHS Boris Brady Julius Baer Bank & Trust Charles Farrington JGHS Wade Mitchell Public Works Department Mark Scotland JGHS Kimberly Wilken Reliable Industries Sharon Smith JGHS Joanna Morrison Quin & Hampson Angelyn Hernandez JGHS Joshua Ebanks Caribbean Utilities Company Richard Hew JGHS Marc Chin CI Chamber of Commerce Wil Pineau JGHS Irka Lashary Ebanks First Caribbean Bank Lynne Whittaker JGHS Leah Grant Department of Environment Gina Ebanks Petrie JGHS Joshephine Shibli CI National Gallery Leslie Bigelman JGHS Kidan Brooks Pure Art Gallery & Gifts Ltd. Debbie van der Bol JGHS Brittany Webster Bank of Butterfield Sheree Ebanks JGHS Joanna Jackson A.L. Thompson's Home Depot Melissa Thompson JGHS Aurora Yates Maples and Calder Carol Baker-White JGHS Jhanelle Ennis Derek Bogle & Associates Kathy-ann Broome JGHS Cristin Alexander Casa Caribe Condominiums Effie Mitchell JGHS Noemy Powell RVC Rehab Services Dr. Jennifer Royer JGHS Stephanie Powery Health Services Authority Hazel Brown JGHS Rochelle Pryce RVC Rehab Services Lisa Cummins JGHS LilEulen Moxam Aquiar Shedden Rd. Vision Clinic Dr. Elaine Campbell JGHS Keyreaye Bodden Cayman National Trust Emily Tibbetts |
A special mention of gratitude is expressed to Ms. Jennifer West of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Programme for facilitating the Mentor workshops held in early October. The organisational efforts of the "Mentoring Cayman" Task Force have brought the Programme to this point. Chamber President, Conor O'Dea expressed appreciation to Task Force Chairman, Ray Farrington, as well as the members: Richard Parchment, Maggie Jackson, Sue Tressider, Richard Coles, Mark Scotland, Chief Inspector Dennis Brady, Beverly Chin Sinn, and Colleen Williams for their great effort in making this public service initiative a reality in the Cayman Islands.
To find out more about "Mentoring Cayman" or any other Chamber of Commerce benefit programmes, please call the Chamber at 949-8090, fax 949-0220 or e-mail colleen.williams@cay manchamber.ky