Four outstanding young people from across the province are recognized each year with a Junior Citizen of the Year Award.
So it’s rare for a community to have two of its youths recognized. But Estevan has that distinction this year, with Jordan Howie, 18, and Rebecca Duncan, 11.
Howie, who recently wrapped up his first year of business administration studies at the University of Regina, gives of his time and resources to others. He will travel to Peru for a humanitarian trip this spring.
“This group plans to build greenhouses in the Andes Mountains, which will help create sustainable sources of food where the growing season is short due to high altitudes,” said his mother, Jennifer, in a write-up she submitted for Jordan’s nomination. “I am not surprised that this opportunity appeals to my son.”
He is also responsible, as he has been working part-time since the age of 14, and by the end of his Grade 9 year, he was maintaining employment with three different businesses.
“From the age of 12, Jordan has been financially self-sufficient, not asking us for the latest toy or video game, or cash to hang out at the movies with his friends,” his mother wrote. “He has provided for himself and embarrassingly, at times, for his parents.”
Jordan has always shown a high level of commitment to his employers over the years. This past summer, he worked full-time at Kenosee Lake, and each Tuesday after work, he returned to Estevan to deliver the Estevan Mercury to local businesses and newspaper carriers.
“Jordan has been contributing much of the income he has earned from working since the age of 12 towards his post-secondary education,” his mother wrote.
He has also been involved with local Scouts groups since the age of four, both as a member and as a volunteer, and has been active in football, bowling, swimming, youth organizations and other activities.
“Jordan is aware of the countless volunteer hours involved with making these sports and group activities available in his community,” Jennifer wrote. “This fuelled in him a desire to give back, despite his busy schedule and commitment to his education.”
While at school in Estevan, he participated in numerous extracurricular activities, and was involved with fundraisers for the Canadian Cancer Society, the United Way Estevan, the Saskatchewan Heart and Stroke Foundation and more.
Rebecca Duncan, who attends Pleasantdale School, was the youngest person to receive a Junior Citizen Award this year. She is always dreaming up ideas of how to make a difference in the world.
“She is a very kind young lady who tries to always see the good in every situation,” wrote her grandmother, Betty Ribling, in submitting the nomination.
“She has recruited her friends to join the 30-hour Famine. She started a youth choir at her church and this has been running for three years now. When available and requested, Rebecca and some of her friends will help out the younger swimmers at synchronized swimming. She finds this very rewarding.”
Rebecca was afraid of water when she first started the sport, but overcame her fear, and now recognizes the positive contributions physical activity, great coaching, teamwork and a healthy lifestyle can have on someone’s life.
She has also advanced to the national level in the Royal Canadian Legion’s poster and literacy contest, and her success has added meaning since members of her family served in the Canadian Forces in the early 20th century.
“Rebecca is always willing to volunteer for activities in the community,” the nomination stated. “She is an active fundraiser and does door to door campaigns with her mother for different … charitable organizations. She hopes to decrease sickness and poverty in the world.”
She has also performed for the United Way Estevan’s telethon and at Telemiracle, and has been a regular performer in the Estevan and District Music Festival.
Rebecca has also served as a babysitter for her younger siblings and others in the community, helps out on the family farm, serves as a piano instructor and helps her uncle, who has down syndrome.
The Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association, in partnership with SaskPower, offers the Junior Citizen program each year, and the lieutenant-governor of Saskatchewan sponsors the program.
A total of 123 nominations were received this year. This year’s other recipients were Gillesa Bolton of Macklin and Kalicia Chorney of Nipawin.
Each recipient will receive a $3,000 scholarship from SaskPower to further their post-secondary education.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony at Government House in Regina on June 27.
