Dishon is St Elizabeth’s top 4-H boy

Dishon Francis, St Elizabeth's 4-H Clubs Top Boy of the Year, has already started to use his voice to motivate constituents.

Francis, a fourth-form student at Nain High School, believes "the sky is no longer the limit."

Since his elevation as the parish's top boy, the 17-year-old is preaching what he believes is a positive message.

"I started to use my voice as a motivation for young people at my school and in my community to let them know the sky is no longer the limit," he said.

He said that young people would be better served if they tell themselves "you can achieve anything you want from you put your mind to it".

"I grew up in a community where not everyone is educated, but few go about trying to make the best out of life," explained the Nain resident. "I teach myself every day to look into the beauty of it, that not everything in life you want you will receive, but you should always try."

The agriculture student said that his journey with the 4-H Club is "a lot of work".

His first challenge was research about the genesis of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, the vision and the mission.

He then prepared a three-minute video, which saw him on a mock visit to an embassy to get a visa to compete at the national final.

His third challenge was to develop a project, which he did by using banana bark and cassava starch to make products. The idea came about because of the ban on single-use plastic bags and styrofoam.

He used banana bark to make food boxes and cassava starch to make plates and utensils.

The work got high praises, but for Francis "it's a dream come true." He said such an outcome "makes me feel extra special".

Nain High's 4-H teacher Lionel Tracey described Francis as "an excellent student, hard-working and very dedicated."

The national final is set for Denbigh in Clarendon this week and Francis is confident he will do well.

"I am a dedicated young man who is passionate in whatever I do," he said. "The school is 100 per cent in agreement and is supporting me going for the national title."

The winner will get $1 million towards territory education and business.

"It would be a big deal for me to go and represent St Elizabeth, and it would be a big deal for Nain High School as well," said Francis, who operates a small farm with tomatoes, scallion and thyme in his backyard.