The 2nd Wicklow Garda Youth Awards took place on Saturday the 4th of February in the Grand Hotel, Wicklow town.
The awards were sponsored by the County Wicklow Partnership and were hosted by Today FM DJ Philip Cawley.
Today we have the final recipient Rachel Casey from Greystones.
Rachel is 16 years old and has been studying mandarin Chinese for 4 years. She has completed 3 YCT exams in UCD in Chinese.
She was one of the four people chosen to represent Team Ireland at the international bridge of cultures competition in China.
Rachel has been a member of Greystones Athletics Club for 7 years and is the current Leinster junior race walk champion. She competes with her club at county, province and national level and this year represented her club at the European Club Championships in Portugal. Rachel has also rowed competitively in Portugal.
Rachel has also rowed competitively for 2 years with her club in Greystones and won bronze East Coast Rowing Council medals on both occasions. Rachel has completed lifesaving to rescue 3 standard and hopes to complete her lifeguard training this year.
She is also assistant bank manager in Loreto Bray branch. Rachel is not your average teenager. There are not enough hours in the day to do what she wants to do yet she manages to balance outstanding academic and sporting achievements with committed community involvement. This is all the more commendable as Rachel spent three years of her childhood battling Leukaemia. She was diagnosed at just three years old.
Rachel never let anything hold her back and her determined spirit meant that she always reached for the stars. Rachel volunteers at least 5 hours a week with Greystones Cancer Support and Bray Lakers. She also volunteers coaching 2 hours a week with her athletic club. Rachel has never forgotten the kindness shown to her during her illness and has turned it into a positive thing in her various contributions to community life.
She is a kind, caring, inspiring role model not just to her peers but to all who have the pleasure in knowing her.
Full list of award winners
Special achievement category, Michael O’Brien, Martina Conyard, Rachel Casey, Lee Timmons, Timothy and Christopher Hopkins.
Individual category, Jeremy O’Donovan, Shannon Franey, Eireann O’Sullivan, Luke Power, Chloe Gilmore, Joe Dempsey, Sinead Roche and Molly Comish.
Group category, Glenealy Foroige Youth Club, Greystones Community Summer Project, Seomra Youth Centre in Bray, Newtownmountkennedy Senior Youth Group, Arklow Sea Venture Scout Unit and Marc Brady and Rachel Crimes from Colaiste Chraobh Abhainn in Kilcoole.
