Bermuda High School student Christie Hunter received $3,000 and delivered an essay at the Thanksgiving Ecumenical Service at the Anglican Cathedral on Thursday.

Christie, 13, earned the honour as the winner of the 1998 Tom Pettit Memorial Award.

The award, sponsored by the US Consul General and Inter Ocean Reinsurance Company Ltd., was established last year in memory of American journalist Tom Pettit -- an Emmy-winning NBC correspondent who lived briefly in Bermuda.

US Consul General Robert A. Farmer presented the award to Christie and four additional Commendation of Excellence awards of $500 each to Angelica Chaney, Lauren Purvey, Jevon Roberts and Jessie Schneider.

Judges for this year's contest were Patricia Pettit, wife of the late Tom Pettit, The Royal Gazette editor David L. White, and deputy principal officer of the US Consulate General, Bruce Berton.

"Life is sweet!'' exclaimed Mr. John Barnes, when he came to speak at my school on October 27, 1998. "Life is sweet and you only get to live it once so don't mess it up. Life is sweet!'' he exclaimed again and again. What Mr.

Barnes said that day really made me realise that you've got to live every day to its fullest, enjoy and be thankful for all of life's many gifts. Every moment of life will be sweet, like Mr. Barnes said, if you are thankful for all that you have.

My life is filled with things to be thankful for, but the one I appreciate most is love! Feeling loved makes every day of life worth living. Knowing that family and friends love me whole-heartedly and are there for me through thick and thin makes me strong within. They accept me for who I am so I never have to pretend to be something I'm not. Feeling wanted, feeling needed and feeling loved are to me the most precious gifts of life.

Another cause for thanks is that I have freedom. Freedom of speech, political freedom, religious freedom and freedom from racial and sexual discrimination are just a few of the freedoms I enjoy living in Bermuda. I'm allowed to voice my opinion and views and not be punished for them. Bermuda is a democratic country and when I'm 18 I can vote for who I want to lead my country. I'm a devoted Christian who loves Jesus Christ, but I am not pressured to belong to any other religious group and I am respected for my faith. Bermuda is striving to live without any racial or sexist prejudices. These prejudices are slowly being broken down and I do not feel disadvantaged to be a woman; I am seen as equal and can be anything I want to be! Freedom is something most people take for granted yet I cannot be grateful enough for this blessing.

In addition to love and freedom, there is one thing that brings me overwhelming happiness every moment of my life. This is "finding joy in others''. When a baby laughs; when a sick, elderly person smiles; the sparkle in a child's eyes when they look up to their father with great admiration, these little precious gifts really do make life sweet. My love for mankind lets me find joy in helping others. I volunteer at Lefroy House and I get such satisfaction and enjoyment out of helping the sick and elderly. When a sad-looking, elderly lady looks at me and smiles, I know no joy greater than this. If you find such joy in life's small rewards and you love everyone, then you will always have happiness. I have this happiness and that is why I am very thankful that I find joy in others.

My life is overflowing with things to be thankful for, but love, freedom and finding joy in others seem to be the gifts that should receive most of my gratitude. I will always remember that every moment of life will be sweet, like Mr. Barnes said, if I am thankful for all that I have.

The remaining award-winning essays will appear in next Saturday's Young Observer.