By Mark Squibb
The City of Mount Pearl will be hosting its annual Focus on Youth Awards on May 14, and last year’s Youth of The Year recipients Courtney Abbott, 18, and Eamon Fogwill, 18, say they are ready to pass the torch along to this year’s winners.
Fogwill said the moment will be bittersweet.
“I’m happy to be able to pass the torch on to someone else, but also sad my time as Youth of The Year is ending,” said Fogwill. “If I were to give the winners one piece of advice, it would be to go to as many of these events as possible. They tell you you don’t have to, but it’s totally worth it to go. It’s so much fun and you meet so many people. If I were to give one piece of advice it would be to get as involved as possible with these events.”
Abbott echoed a similar sentiment.
“Attend as many events as you can, and don’t just show up, get engaged,” said Abbott. “Go up to a council member and say ‘Hi,’ and ask them if there’s anything you can do.”
Both youths are graduates of O’Donel High School, and both have just finished their first year at Memorial University. They have also spent this last year participating in a number of events within the City of Mount Pearl, from Frosty Festival to City Days and everything in between, including celebrations, socials, dances, award ceremonies, and more.
“We were never told that we had to go to any of the events, but we decided that they had given us the award, so the best thing for us to do with it was to get involved,” said Fogwill.
Abbott said that events like the Focus on Youth Awards helps connect young people with the broader community, and both youths are excited to attend the ceremony on May 14 and pass their mantle along to the newly minted winners.
While both expressed thanks to members of council for making them feel included within the City’s many events, both paid special thanks to councillor Isabell Fry for her continuous efforts to involve them in the community.
Fry, the founder and former Director of the Miss Teen Newfoundland and Labrador pageant, has a special place in her heart for the youth of the community.
“If you want something done, and done well, give it to a young person,” said Fry. “They have something to prove, and they’re going to give 110 percent…. What happens far too often, and I believe this with my whole heart, is that that demographic gets stereotyped, and not in a positive light… I don’t think youth are given the accolades they deserve. And so, the Focus on Youth Awards shines a spotlight on their accomplishments.”
Fry said she cannot praise Fogwill and Abbott enough for their contributions to the City this past year.
“They are so invested, and when they go to events, they don’t just show up, they help, they volunteer,” said Fry. “They don’t just show up to be there. They show up to help.”
Fry encourages future winners of the Youth of the Year awards to get involved and attend as many functions as possible, allowing that some in times past may not have been able to do so simply because of school or other personal commitments.
“Every past recipient has brought something unique and valuable to the role,” said Fry.
The City formerly had a youth action team, which provides youths with an opportunity to share suggestions and concerns with council. Like many things, that team folded during COVID, but now the City is trying to revive it. Those interested can reach out to the City for more details.
