Trevesa Ashman Awarded Youth Volunteer of the Year at Annual Excellence Awards

Trevesa Ashman Awarded Youth Volunteer of the Year at Annual Excellence Awards


Kingston, Jamaica, February 5, 2010

Trevesa DaSilva Ashman Public Education Specialist in the Office of Children’s Registry, took top honours with the Volunteer of the Year Award for her commitment to community and the nation at the Word Time Ministries’ 16th Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony held recently.

The awards ceremony, which was held in Kingston at the Pentecostal Gospel Temple on Saturday, January 30, 2010, witnessed the bestowing of over sixty awards on several youth volunteers and members of the ministry. Trevesa Ashman who has been a member of the youth organization since March 22, 2002, walked away with the awards for Volunteer of the Year, Most Improved, Most Cooperative and the inaugural Team Spirit Award. She was also first runner up for Team Leader of the Year and Most Punctual, as well as second runner up for Most Courteous Volunteer and Director of the Year. She proved that hard work and persistence pays off as she previously won the first runner up award for Youth Leader of the Year and second runner up for Volunteer of the Year in 2005. She was also the recipient of the 2004 Team Member of the Year Award.

The youth Ministry recognized Ashman for her outstanding contribution to the work of the outreach ministry and for her consistent and dedicated services. Trevesa was at the forefront of the ministry’s outreach programmes during 2009 and was the Chairman of the planning committee of the benefit concert “Adoration and Praise” which was staged to raise much need funds to continue the outreach projects in schools and children’s homes. Trevesa Ashman currently holds the position of Director of Public Relations and Media with Word Time Ministries of Jamaica.

Trevesa won from a strong competitive field of several volunteers nationally including first runner up Sandra Martin, Director of School Outreach with the youth ministry and a Skills Training Project Officer at the Pentecostal Gospel Temple’s HEART/NTA Skills Training Programme and second runner up Dionne Sheree Smith, Marketing Specialist at Churches Cooperative Credit Union Limited.

Trevesa Ashman was the former Training and Communications Coordinator at the Jamaica Red Cross. In her relatively new position at the Office of the Children's Registry, she is responsible for the organization’s public education activities aimed at raising awareness of child abuse and reporting. She has managed to raise the profile of the young government body within just over a year of working there.

Other youth volunteers who triumphed at the Awards Ceremony included Kimiela “Candy” Isaacs, first runner up in the 2009 JCDC Gospel Festival, who was among only four recipients of the Excellence in Gospel Award. Other included renowned gospel recording and performing artistes Dennis Ruston, Deneese Wright and Noreta Lewis. Other top awards included Team Leader of the Year won by Sandra Martin and Fund Raiser of the Year captured by Rev. Dr. Hope McCormack. Two outstanding volunteers were awarded Long Service Award for faithful, consistent and un-broken service to the youth Ministry. Sonia Lynch of Fellowship Tabernacle won for ten years and Rev. Dr. Hope McCormack of the Pentecostal Gospel Temple for five year of service.

Headlining the list of stalwarts of the ministry receiving special awards for outstanding contribution to the Ministry was Custos of St. Andrew and Patron of the Ministry, Bishop Dr. Carmen Lois Stewart O.J., O.D., J.P., Dr. Hope McCormack, Executive Director and Rev. Ascott McCormack, Chaplain. Other recipients in this category were, Sam Wisdom, Roxanne Schurton, Michael McLeish and Evangelist Michael McIntosh.

Michael Thomas received the award for Boy of the Year of the Jamaica Christian Boys’ Home. He won the award from a field of over twenty boys for his quite mannerly, cooperative, obedient, polite and generally well-disciplined demeanour. Alicia Chambers of St. Andrew Hostel took the award for Girl of the Year. Rohan Walker of Jamaica College secured the award for Athlete of the Year Award, while first runner up was Peta-gaye Dixon of Central Branch Primary.

The Annual Excellence Awards for youth volunteers, which is staged under the distinguished patronage of Bishop Dr. the Hon. Carmen Lois Stewart O.J., O.D., J.P., is part of efforts by the Ministry to honour and pay recognition to the members of the organization and volunteers who have contributed significantly to the growth and development of the Ministry.

The aim of the Annual Awards is to promote excellence among the young people of the Ministry in personal achievements, character development, discipline and deportment; to reward hard work, discipline and consistency as well as to instill a greater appreciation of service to others, the community and the nation.