Winning the first round of the 2026 Junior Minister of Tourism Public Speaking Competition is a feat Nathan Clarke, student of Glenmuir High School, is elated he overcame on Friday (July 10).
Nathan, a debater by nature, and his teacher, Shanika Dennis-Spence, journeyed from rural Clarendon into the capital city to AC Hotel Kingston, with high hopes of making their mark, especially given that the Tourism Action Club at their school began less than a year ago in September 2025.
After copping the top prize for the day, Nathan told JIS News he was feeling ecstatic about the victory and hoped to be the overall victor on July 24.
“I really give God thanks and praise for all that he’s done for me. I am just a member in my club because the Tourism Action Club in my school is fairly new, and I was introduced to this competition by the faculty advisor and the head boy, because they believed I had the ability to do this, and they were right,” Nathan explained to JIS News.
“I will do all that it takes to win and represent Jamaica at the Caribbean level,” he said.
For round one of the competition, some key tourism topics debated were community tourism, the cruise industry, solo travel and artificial intelligence.
Mrs. Dennis-Spence said this first-round victory is a good motivating factor that will encourage more students from the school to want to join the Tourism Action Club.
Placing second and third were Govaunia James and Thaejadore Kerr, who will compete against Nathan in the final round on July 24 at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort.
The Junior Minister of Tourism Public Speaking Competition is open to Tourism Action Club members aged between 14 and 17.
They compete for a chance to represent Jamaica at the upcoming Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Youth Congress in Guyana between October 5 and 9, which connects peers across the Caribbean.
For over a decade, the competition has fostered critical thinking and innovative solutions from Jamaica’s youth, making a significant impact in communities.
Manager, Tourism Information Centre, Jamaica Tourist Board, Lucretia Green, said she felt like a proud parent watching the students debate on July 10 for the top-five places, especially those who were not new to competing at the finals.
“I’m proud because what you are about to do sets the tone for other things in your life. It doesn’t matter if you are the eventual winner that gets the title. What it means, though, is that you have decided that you’re going to make this decision and do the whole research to the whole public-speaking process; you are growing, and that’s a huge deal,” Ms. Green said.
She noted that the event is one of the highlights of the year’s activities at the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Tourism Information Centre as they help students step out of their comfort zone and prepare to go on the regional stage.
“We’ve had a number of winners over the years, and through this competition, we have seen them grow, we’ve seen them get exposure and you get to travel overseas for free, you and your teacher, and you get to experience the product, and you never know who you will meet, and that will set the trajectory for the rest of your life,” Ms. Green said.
