Photo: David Morey – Social Media Influencer Award
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Tues. Dec. 3, 2024
The Department of Youth Services hosted its annual National Youth Award Ceremony at the Punta Gorda Sporting Complex in Punta Gorda Town on Friday, November 29, to close National Youth Week.
The event is used to showcase innovative talents and the tenacity of youth in their various fields.
Photo: Amanda Emily Pech – Outstanding Young Musician Award
“Take up the challenge, [and] the responsibility,” said Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Youth. “You can follow your dreams, and education is the only tool that can transform a nation. You are at a pivotal age where education is the key to success … don’t be ashamed of what you want to accomplish. Follow your dreams, and you will accomplish whatever you want.”
“Success in life requires the same things that make it possible for youths to be winners at this award ceremony. To be successful in life or any award ceremony requires ambition, sacrifice and hard work, education, and wise decision,” said Hon. Gilroy Usher, Minister-of-State in the Ministry of Youth.
Amandala spoke to 20-year-old David Morey, Social Media Influencer Award winner, who expressed his feelings about winning the award.
“I’m very humbled by it. It’s something that I never had in the foreseeable future when I started; I never intended to receive any awards from the Government of Belize. It’s a whole mind-changing experience, I would say, to know that I have an impact on the youths, [and] parents. It’s heartwarming to know it’s being appreciated by the broader Belizean public,” he said.
“I try to stand out a bit more and mek my style diverse; you might find some skits about my mom and my upbringing. It could be about social issues in Belize that the average Belizean would encounter. The parents [and] children can relate to it, and the different generations still find some correlation between new and old-school parenting,” Morey added.
Morey began filming videos in 2018 and took it more seriously during the COVID-19 pandemic by using his experience of being the butt of the joke as he is the youngest of six siblings, on a platform to share his comedic thoughts.
He told Amandala that what keeps him going is the interaction with his fans.
“When I walk on the street or go to the store and people [big me up] and ask for pictures, and it’s kind of something I’m still trying to process. It’s something I’m humbled by, the support that I get from people and the way I impact their lives; it feels surreal … I do feel if I influence one person to have a better day from my videos, to have a better day after they had a bad day, to me that’s a win,” Morey said.
Morey intends to become a pioneer in the comedic field in Belize by doing an array of standup comedy shows across Belize.
The awards were distributed in 13 categories as its winners exemplified excellence and dedication to community growth and national development. The following winners for each category are listed below:
Academic Excellence Award – Asia Natalia Gilharry; Athletic Excellence Award (Female) – Jasany Aaliyah Westby; Athletic Excellence Award (Male) – Betuel Eliezer Magaña; Environmental Steward Award (Group/Individual) – Belmopan Methodist High School; Innovation through Technology Award (Individual/Group) – Roseanne Delany Chun; Outstanding Young Musician Award – Amanda Emily Pech; Social Media Influencer Award – David Morey; Strength through Adversity Award – Jesmar Ismael Muniz; Youth Club/Group of the Year Award – Daniel Etienne Sharp; Youth in Agriculture Award – Veimer Velmar Chan; Youth in Entrepreneurship Award – Brinyce Breely Richardson; Youth in Visual Arts Award – Sebastian Rafael Collado; Youth Minister’s for Youth Leadership and Advocacy Award – Alfonso Ruperto Alcala; Youth with Disability Award – Abner Adoni Uh.