Celebrating everyone from grandparents and neighbours to community champions and teachers, the awards’ aim is to mark some of the wonderful day-to-day activities and achievements of Islanders who help make Jersey such a special place to live.
And in order to keep the community at the heart of the awards, Islanders will be asked to nominate potential winners and be involved in the voting and judging, via the newspaper and online.
8. Teacher of the Year
The award:
THERE are good teachers … and then there are great teachers.
This award seeks to recognise those who have inspired countless children through innovative teaching methods, making learning fun and creating an enjoyable, warm and friendly environment in which to learn.
Winners could include those teaching across all ages, including adult learning. They could have spent decades at the same school, offering stability and familiarity, or be a newcomer to the profession, bringing clever and engaging methods to the classroom.
Teachers can have a huge influence on the lives of those they teach, and this is an opportunity to honour their work.
The sponsor:
COMPLETE Facilities has come about after a number of local companies amalgamated to form a ‘one-stop shop’ for services.
From carpet cleaning to dry cleaning, electricians to plumbing, Complete Facilities is new on the scene but already making a big impact in Jersey.
And although the company has only been operating for a short period – even though those companies which have joined forces are well-established local institutions – managing director Martin Mundy is very keen to get involved in the community straight away.
‘Every company should be putting something back into this wonderful island,’ he said. ‘At Complete Facilities we have already provided enough high-vis vests for every primary school child and we are continually looking for opportunities where we can improve this fantastic community in which we live.’
WHY THESE AWARDS?
‘I came to Jersey 33 years ago for holiday and was offered an opportunity. I feel that when I came and worked here the Island people made me feel important – they were like a family to me.
‘I realised that it is now time to give something back and feel lot of people in Jersey need to be rewarded for what they do. Therefore, I think the awards are fantastic for the Island as it gives us all a chance to do exactly that.’
WHY THIS CATEGORY?
‘We have a link to all of the primary schools in Jersey after last December when we decided to put something back into the community and provided high-vis vests for all children. This was something we wanted to do and we have enjoyed the feedback we have received so wanted to continue to build upon that relationship with schools in Jersey.’
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE WINNER?
‘As far as I am concerned, I think that we have got the hardest category because there are so many good teachers in the Island.
‘In terms of qualities, we will be looking for someone who has inspired others.
‘They might have been involved not necessarily in just the one school, and it may not necessarily be someone who has been a teacher for a long time. There here are some young teacher who have got some great ideas, pushing the boundaries. What I’ll be looking for is someone who can obviously make me think about what they have done differently
‘It is also worth pointing out that it could be teachers of any age group and from various different walks of life.’
- Ambassador of the Year
- Volunteer/Fundraiser of the Year
- Grandparent(s) of the Year
- Community Champion(s) of the Year
- Environmentalist(s) of the Year
- Jersey Angel of the Year
- Teacher of the Year
- Unsung Sporting Hero of the Year
- Customer Service Employee of the Year
- Young Star of the Year
- Neighbour of the Year
- Inspirational Leader of the Year[/breakout]
We are searching for the Islanders who make our community so special.
There are many things which contribute to make Jersey such a wonderful place to call home, from the fabulous beaches and cliff-path walks to our safe and healthy environment. They all play their part.
But above all, it is the amazing people in our community who are responsible for making this small rock, measuring just nine miles by five, stand out as such a wonderful place to live.
And that is why, as the JEP celebrates its 125th anniversary, we feel it is time to honour Islanders who make a difference, many of whom devote hours every day to make this a better place.
Often the achievements of these community heroes go unrecognised, their efforts beneath the radar of most.
Being part of that community means that the Jersey Evening Post and, more importantly, its readers, are best placed to find and honour these selfless Islanders.
It is our readers who will nominate worthy individuals and it is our readers who will be the judging panel, making the Pride of Jersey Awards unlike any others.
From grandparents and neighbours to community champions and teachers, we want to celebrate all aspects of life in the Island.
Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be featuring each of our 12 categories in detail, speaking to 12 local businesses who have teamed up with us to become our awards’ partners and, most importantly, explaining how people can start voting.
These awards will become an annual celebration of those who bind our community together and we are extremely proud to be in a position, after tewelve-and-a-half decades of serving this Island, to be launching the Pride of Jersey Awards.
