COURTNEY FOSTER

Gleaner Honour Award Winner for Voluntary Service

STUDENT. HUMANITA-RIAN. Fundraiser extraordinaire. At a mere glance, you may seem like the average 14 year-old fourth former, but Courtney, you have the mature soul and fortitude of a person several times your senior.

Today, you are being honoured for your unwavering commitment to raising money for worthy causes and from which many persons have benefited. Specifically, we honour you for your unselfish efforts in raising an eyebrow-raising $750,000 for the annual Dr. Norman Sinclair Memorial Scholarship via your Kids for Charity fashion and stage shows, held at the Sutton Place Hotel each year. Courtney and some 20 friends have been modelling and dancing yearly since 1997 to raise the money for the $150,000 per year medical scholarship to the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

We recognise you for your vision and for the outstanding quality of your heart. Courtney's fundraising activities date back to 1991 when, as a four-year old, she saw a story in the STAR about a little boy who had cancer in his eyes. She took up her exercise book, walked around to solicit help from relatives and friends then bought a manager's cheque and sent it to the STAR.

To date she has raised a total of $1,350,000 for charitable institutions. In addition she has committed herself to personally assisting others, including her pledge last year to Kimberley Brown of the Windward Primary School to provide $20,000 a year to assist Kimberly to attend school.

Courtney Foster, others have already recognised your stellar service to the needy and disenfranchised among us. For her achievements, last year Courtney was named a PALS (Peace and Love in Schools) young achiever. This year she won the National Child Month Committee award for Kingston.

We now join these other organisations in commending you, Courtney Foster.

However, despite all these achievements, you remain a typical teen, listening to your favourite artistes like Beenie Man or pop icon, Mariah Carey. Courtney also spends her spare time watching television, especially law shows like "Matlock," "Ally McBeal" and "Judge Judy." She says she wants to be a criminal lawyer, because she wants to see people get more justice.

Ms. Foster, your young life has been testimony to true compassion and a heartwarming commitment of unselfish service to your fellowman.

We salute you for your determination and self-sacrifice.

We hail you for your unwavering love for your fellow man.

We commend you for your great compassion, and constancy of purpose to helping those who need it most.

For these reasons, we present you with pleasure, the 2001 Gleaner Honour Award for Excellence.