Teens for Tomorrow-Teen Hero: Rushell Ferarah

Hello ladies and gents here is another edition of the ‘Just didn’t make it’ files. It’s a bit old about October 2009 It was written but I still think it was a good piece and that we should always honour those of us who excel as teens. And since the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards is coming up later this month, I thought there is no better time to share it with the world than now. By the way, I tweaked it a bit to make it relevant so the information in the piece is current. So here goes:

Teens for Tomorrow-Teen Hero: Rushell Ferarah

It’s not every day that we meet an outstanding teenager who is as devoted and dedicated to service to their school, community and nation at large, as is Rushell Ferarah. With a supportive mother by her side, cheering her on, the eighteen year old past student of the St. Andrew’s High School for Girls, has achieved a spectacular feat having risen to the status of Governor of the Key Club Jamaica District. Now this young lady sets her eyes on making her mark on Circle K International.

Here at As told by Nella we enjoy celebrating the spectacular achievements of teenagers just like you, so is it a wonder that we had to have a chat with this remarkable young lady?

Teenage: What is the driving force that leads you to wanting to serve others or to even join an organization such as Key Club and further Circle K?

Rushell Ferarah (RF): I am a very self-motivated person. And what motivates me to want to help others and do community service is knowing that even when you believe or feel that you have major problems in your life, just going out and seeing that there are others with more and worse problems than you and the fact that you can help and make a difference in their lives is a great feeling. A feeling I enjoy and through Key Club and Circle K as the vehicles, I have been afforded the opportunity to be that agent of change I wish to be.

Teenage: What was your role as Governor?

RF: As Governor, it was my job to basically run the District. Even though there are many Key Clubs across the island, I was given the responsibility, along with the other members of my executive body, to bring clubs together, inform the clubs of all the projects being organized in the District and to organize District events whereby key clubbers island wide can interact and work towards a common goal. So you could say I was the C.E.O. of the District.

Teenage: How was your experience as the Governor of Key Club?

RF: It was been fun. I had a lot of new and interesting experiences, but I must admit it was very challenging and it required a lot of effort.

Teenage: How do you balance your time?

RF: Well it is first important to note that you should not burden yourself by taking on more than you can handle. Do not stretch yourself thin. Therefore, it is important that you identify the things that you really want and need to do and organize your time accordingly.

Teenage: What kind of advice do you have for teens who wish to make a difference in the world?

RF: Making a difference is a lot simpler than it may seem. You don’t have to do anything big or extravagant like hosting a nationwide charity event. Making a difference can be as simple as helping an old lady across the street or going to a senior citizen’s home and having a conversation with one of the residents or even saying good morning and asking what’s wrong with someone who may seem a bit sad or frustrated. You never know how much you can change someone’s day or possibly even life by just being their friend.

Teenage: Who would you say is your biggest role model?

RF: Well there are a lot of persons I really admire, but I would say my mother. She is a very big part of my life and has been a tremendous inspiration to me.

Teenage: And lastly, what is your ultimate goal in life?

RF: To be happy!!!

There you have it folks, a young person dedicated to serve. There are many like her out there and I would like to praise all of them for their efforts and to encourage them to keep up the good work. Too often we complain of what we lack, not realizing that many of us have it better off than others in the world. So I also would like to encourage others of you to do the same and be a catalyst of the change that we need to see in the world.

‘I thought I had it bad when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.’