Ten-year-old Zayir Meeks and 23-year-old Joel Davis have emerged as the respective winners of the JN Foundation Visual Arts and Photo Advocacy competitions, aimed at promoting road safety awareness and helmet use.
Zaira Stern is runner-up for the visual arts competition while Geraldo McGowan is runner-up for the photo advocacy competition. Shamonique Dawkins and Gabreylla McNamee, who had a joint entry, copped the People’s Choice award for the same competition.
Meeks, winner of the visual arts competition and student at Stella Maris Preparatory School, was excitement about his victory.
“I feel great,” he said in response to winning the competition. He credited his father, Ryan Meeks, and art teacher for encouraging him to participate.
His winning artwork featured a drawing of roads on a helmet with a message emphasising the importance of protecting one’s head.
“I learned that it’s about being safe and being protected,” he shared.
The elder Meeks stressed the significance of the competition, stating, “It was his art teacher who brought it to us. She knew that Zayir would do an excellent job because he’s one of her top students and is always very interested in art.”
He also praised the initiative, highlighting the need for increased helmet usage in Jamaica.
“Personally, if I didn’t see those images, I wouldn’t know that there are so many people in Jamaica [who] wear helmets because literally every biker that I see doesn’t have one. It is something that we definitely have to work on.”
Davis, winner of the Photo Advocacy Competition, was equally excited by his victory.
“Honestly, I’m very humbled right now. I give God thanks. I’m lost for words, but all I can say is I’m truly grateful,” he said.
His winning piece, ‘Adrenaline Rush’, focused on the importance of wearing helmets and protective gear while riding motorcycles. Davis, an amateur photographer from St Andrew, shared that his mother encouraged him to enter the competition.
“She sent me the flyer via WhatsApp, and I thought, why not give this a shot and really expand myself in the world of photography while also spreading awareness about motorcycle safety?”
Davis, who started photography during the COVID-19 pandemic, is working towards turning his passion into a business, ‘180 Degree Productions’.
“Photography started for me with nature, and I eventually moved up to automotive and portrait photography. It’s going to be a brand, a production company that will skyrocket,” he said.
Radcliffe ‘Ruddy’ Roye, subject matter expert for JN Foundation’s photo advocacy projects, and one of the judges of the competition, said that Davis’ winning entry stood out from more than 50 submissions due to its overall composition.
“It was the safest image. It ticked all the boxes. It was technically sound in terms of its composition,” said the award-winning photojournalist.
Both winners underscored the importance of safety on the roads.
“It’s very hard to tell people what to do because everyone wants to do what they want, but we must be really safe because every day, the death rates go up,” Davis remarked.
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Ryan Meeks echoed similar sentiments, urging parents to support their children’s talents and participate in initiatives that promote road safety.
“Art can drive home messages. If you know about music, it can create peace and allow people to join together and communicate. I encourage participants to get involved and support this movement.”
The competition highlighted the ongoing concerns about helmet affordability in Jamaica.
“We hear that helmets are expensive, and for those barely getting by, their only option might be to ride without one. There needs to be some initiative to make helmets more affordable,” Meeks suggested.
Dr Lucien Jones, chairman of the National Helmet Wearing Coalition and vice chairman of the Nation Road Safety Council, underscored the importance of initiatives like this in fostering a culture of safety.
“We’re hoping that out of this effort, the message will be clear … ‘wear your helmets’,” he said.
Parris Lyew-Ayee, chairman of the JN Foundation, pointed out the role of advocacy in driving change.
“Through creative engagement, we can shift perspectives and make safety a priority. These young advocates are playing a crucial role in spreading awareness, and their work will have a lasting impact on how we approach road safety in Jamaica.”
Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer and deputy chairman of The Jamaica National Group, highlighted the importance of advocacy through photography in driving social change. “We sought to use photography as a means for advocacy,” he noted. “Starting many years ago with a project called the Youth Zoom Competition, we trained young people on how to use photography as a tool for storytelling and change. Through this competition, we are continuing that tradition by highlighting the importance of safety and responsible road use.”
Jarrett also pointed out the long-standing commitment of his organisation to safety initiatives.
“Jamaica National has always been involved in advocacy for the people of Jamaica, whether in education, health, small business development, or road safety. This competition is yet another way we are working to create meaningful impact and foster a culture of safety,” he added.
The winners of the competition were announced during an awards ceremony held recently at the Office of the Commissioner of Police, who was the patron of the ceremony. Zayir Meeks won $50,000 for first place and $25,000 for the ‘People’s Choice Award’. Zaira Stern won $35,000 for being named runner-up.
Meanwhile, Joel Davis won $200,000 for first place in the photo advocacy competition and Geraldo McGowan, who is runner-up for the photo advocacy competition, with his piece entitled ‘Stay Safe For Them’, won $100,000. Shamonique Dawkins and Gabreylla McNamee, who, copped the People’s Choice award for the piece ‘As long as my head is safe’, won $50,000.
More than 100 people entered the photo advocacy competition with 52 outstanding submissions. Meanwhile, 35 entries were received for the visual arts competition with eight standout pieces recognised for their excellence. The visual arts competition ran from October 1 to 15, 2024, while the photo advocacy competition ran from October 1 to December 20, 2024.