GraceKennedy

Students of the photo club of the Learning Institute of Central Kingston (LICK) will once again have their work displayed at the Institute of Jamaica. At the judging of the annual photo competition on October 30 at GraceKennedy’s head offices, executive director of the Institute, Mr. Vivian Crawford, extended the invitation saying that the students’ four-year depiction of scenes from Kingston has been important in mapping the history of the capital city. As a result, he said, the Institute will also be purchasing prints for its archives.

The LICK Photo Club was formed in 2006, initially to provide an extra-curricular activity to high school students living in the Central Kingston communities of Southside and environs and has grown to become a well recognized youth club in the community.  

The project is sponsored by the Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation and the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Ohio, USA. The members of the photo club have benefited from donations of cameras from the church and GraceKennedy employees, as well as basic training from photographers

O’Neil Wilson and Dennis Gordon who have volunteered their services since the start of the project.  

Winning Photo By Davia Shuttleworth

Each year the Group agrees on a theme and ventures into the community, and on field trips to identify their subjects. Their photos are then judged by a panel which includes professional photographers, and prizes awarded to the best photographs.  In 2008, the students received national recognition when they were invited to display their work at the Institute of Jamaica. This year two members of the Club, Inisha Flemming and Sanjay Buchanan, earned ‘Certificates of Merit’ in the 15- 18 year category of the JCDC Photography competition.  

The students have graduated from using disposable cameras in their first year, to digital photography, allowing them to focus on the finer points of their craft and earning the praise of veteran photographer, Howard Moo Young who has served as a judge for two consecutive years.  

This year the theme is ‘Bringing Good Food to Life’ and, for their subject matter, the young photographers visited the Ebony Park Heart Academy in Clarendon and the Coronation Market in Kingston. Coordinator of the competition, Curtis Sweeney said the experience has helped the students to develop an appreciation for farmers and what they go through in providing food for the nation.  

This year’s first prize went to Davia Shuttleworth of Alpha Academy, while Christine Granston of Excelsior Community College placed second , and  Chantol Dormer  of St. Hugh’s High placed third. Others whose entries came in for mention were Telo Graham of Wolmer’s Boys, Ramone Williams of the University of Technology and Inisha Flemming of the University of the West Indies.