Seventeen-year-old Kamille Kirlew, a student of Knox College, received a triple treat recently when she was awarded the top prize - the Jamaica National Building Society's (JNBS) General Manager's Award for Best Photo; and 'Best Heritage Photo'; as well as, the 'Special Achievement Certificate' for her piece entitled: 'Tools of Yesteryear.'

Kamille was named the top student in the JN Foundation Resolution Project, a programme which equips and trains teenagers in rural high schools in the use of photography to critically explore their communities and through their art, commend positives or appeal for change.

"I am overjoyed that my piece was selected for the top prize," she said. Her entry depicted common household devices used by her grandmother in days gone by.

"When I was taking that picture, I remembered the stories my mother told about my grandmother using these items," she stated. These included, "The iron to press their clothes and uniforms to go to school; the sewing machine to make the clothes; the lamp, which they used at nights, and the coconut brush to clean the house."

The lower-sixth-form student said photography is her hobby, but based on her participation in the JN Foundation Resolution Project, she now realises that it is a powerful way to send a message.

"I learnt how to take pictures with good lighting and the basic skills of photography," she said, and in addition, "I also learned that a photo can say a lot of things; and that photography can advocate on behalf of others."

rural students

Kamille was among several rural students who were recognised by the JN Foundation's Resolution Project at an awards ceremony held at the Montego Bay Civic Centre in St James, recently.

Other recipients were Zatar Hylton of the Granville Resolution Project and Rashane Campbell of the Savanna-la-Mar Resolution Project, who were presented with the Most Outstanding Male Photographers and Michka Walters of the Granville Resolution Project and Deneka Gooden of the Savanna-la-Mar Resolution Project, who were awarded Most Outstanding Female Photographers.

Christine Haughton of Garvey Maceo High School in Clarendon won The Gleaner's Youthlink Magazine Award for Photojour-nalism, and the UNFPA's Prize for Best Advocacy Campaign went to Dylon Brown, Tevin Laylor and Tamara Watson of Paul Bogle High School in St Thomas.

Earl Jarrett, general manager of JNBS, urged the young photographers to continue to use the skills acquired from the programme to be advocates for change. He said, "No one can deny the depth and power of photography, because photographs can and have changed lives."