A CedarBridge Academy student took home top honours in the annual Tom Pettit Thanksgiving Essay Competition yesterday.

Falconeri Bacabac, III, hails originally from a small town on Panay Island in the Philippines, but has lived in Bermuda since he was in Primary Four at School.

It is this dual perspective one of a rural town versus Bermuda's more technology advanced culture that he said gave him a different perspective on the world.

After winning the $1,000 grand-prize at the award ceremony that is held each year in honour of Tom Pettit, an Emmy-award winning NBC TVjournalist who briefly lived in Bermuda, Falconeri said hoped that his essay might impact the larger community

.He said: "I am shocked. I wasn't really expecting to win it. My teacher gave it to me as an assignment and it was the first thing that came to my mind.

"Thoughts followed and I just put it on paper. When the time comes I can write.

"If others hear it I hope they can better appreciate the better life they have here and appreciate other cultures

"Asked what he's going to do with the $1,000 he said: "It's probably going to go to the bank."

The essay contest and awards reception were created and are held every year by Patricia Pettit, a principal in local marketing consultancy Pembroke Atlantic, in honour of her late husband Tom Pettit. Each year students at the Island's secondary schools are asked to write on "Why I am Thankful" to showcase their writing and to have a chance to win monetary awards for both themselves and their schools.

Also winning prizes yesterday were Kiara Waynette Baxter, Gherdai Hassell, Kirista Rabain and Kaya Simmons from Berkeley Institute; and Christopher Corday and Kyla Sinclair from Mount Saint Agnes.

Gherdai managed to scoop-up a second award for her presentation of her essay via video that was viewed by the awards conference. The additional prize of $250 was sponsored by U.S. Consul General Gregory Slayton who was unable to attend the prize ceremony yesterday.

Gherdai, who is also the deputy Head Girl at Berkeley, said she never expected to win the essay contest but figured the presentation award was hers after she had the crowd laughing.

"That was my first time(on camera). It was a lot of fun to be on TV. I kinda had a feeling (she would win) since I had everyone laughing," she said.

The judges included Jennifer Hind, The Royal Gazette Education Services Coordinator; Florenz Maxwell and Attorney General Sen. Kim N. Wilson. Supporting the event are also The Ace Foundation, Renaissance Re and The XL Foundation. And as with every year Mr. Pettit's friend and colleague the NBC Nightly News anchor and current anchor of "Meet The Press", Tom Brokaw has supported the contest with the taping of a congratulatory message to the student winners.

Before presenting the awards to the students yesterday Premier Ewart Brown said he was impressed by the writing exhibited by the youth and hoped Mrs. Pettit would continue in her work. He said: "Thank you for continuing this especially in these days of little writing that we still challenge students to put their thoughts in writing."

SEE OPINION PAGE FOR WINNING EASSY