We are happy to announce that our Creative Director, Deidra Smith, has received The Queen’s Young Leaders Award for Belize. She has received this award for her work with youth and education in Belize. Below is a piece by Cayo Christian Academy where she has the scholarship program for which she received the award.

The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme is celebrating the announcement of 60 Queen’s Young Leaders from across the Commonwealth!

DEIDRA SMITH RECEIVES THE QUEEN’S YOUNG LEADERS AWARD

Tuesday, December 8, 2015 – We celebrate in Belize as Entrepreneur and Youth Advocate, Deidra Smith is set to receive the Queen’s Young Leaders Award. This honorable award exists to discover, celebrate and support exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth, leaving a lasting legacy for Her Majesty The Queen. Deidra will spend a week in the United Kingdom where she will receive her award at Buckingham Palace from Her Majesty The Queen. Deidra will also receive a tailored package of training, mentoring and networking from Cambridge University.

“I am honored to represent my country as the recipient of The Queen’s Young Leaders Award,” says Deidra, “I am hoping that this would inspire others to actively give of their time and resources to support the youth of our nation. The access to these resources will only elevate the work I do in Belize and I’m thankful for this recognition.”

In 2012, Deidra founded a scholarship program in the community that is home to Cayo Christian Academy to support young people to pursue higher education. Two students received scholarships for their high school education. Both received scholarships for their Academic Excellence and one recipient would not have been financially able to pursue higher education without this opportunity. Deidra took the commitment beyond financial provision and was very active with the student body. She started several clubs on campus and spearheaded the production of our school song. Her love for the students resulted in an invitation from us to join our Board of Directors and since she’s been on our team, she has impacted our institution greatly. We are proud of Deidra and her accomplishments. Her support for youth goes far beyond our school this award is well deserved! Congrats Deidra!

Deidra lives a life of purpose and chooses daily to be intentional in how she spends her time, wanting to leave a legacy that will inspire others to dream beyond their wildest imagination. Her passion is working with the youth and seeing them mature to be individuals who live a life of positive impact. She serves on over 10 teams in Belize and the United States and is often called on to speak encouraging messages to youth. She is a visionary and has founded her own company, Deidra Deandra, where she is the Manager and Creative Director. Deidra co-founded ID SEVEN in 2011, an organization dedicated to supporting the youth of Belize. Her word of advice, “The world is watching. That shouldn’t be a scary thought! It’s our chance to be examples that people will want to follow (Debbie Tillett).”

When asked if she had any final words, Deidra excitedly responded, “Go intentionally spend a few hours with a young person. Impart a little and watch how they inspire you.”

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For More Information Contact Deidra Here

Notes to Editors
Deidra Smith on Social Media
Twitter: @deidradeandra
Facebook: www.facebook.com/deidradeandra

The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme
www.queensyoungleaders.com