CIBC Caribbean has recognized two exceptional Trinidadians for their extraordinary community contributions through its revived Unsung Heroes programme. The awards ceremony on December 3 celebrated 80-year-old educator Marlene Gilbert as first-place winner and 16-year-old student leader Renalon Villafana as runner-up.
Marlene Gilbert, affectionately known as ‘Aunty Marlene,’ continues her educational mission decades after retiring from Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive in 2000. Every Sunday, her Belmont residence transforms into a learning sanctuary where children as young as 11 travel from distant communities like Arima for extracurricular lessons. Her teaching approach emphasizes recognizing individual learning styles and unlocking potential that students themselves often overlook.
Beyond her educational work, Gilbert serves as an active member of both St. Crispin’s Anglican Church in Woodbrook and the Netball Association of Trinidad and Tobago, dedicating herself to creating supportive environments for youth sports development.
The second-place honoree, Renalon Villafana, has demonstrated remarkable initiative through multiple community projects. As student council president at Tabaquite Secondary, he organized a student-led outreach to the Ezekiel Home for Abandoned Children, personally fundraising when corporate donors were unavailable. His efforts provided gifts, snack hampers, and games for the children.
Villafana further demonstrated leadership by coordinating two successful beach clean-ups at Mayaro Beach, personally securing sponsorships from local companies. His environmental activism mobilized increasing numbers of volunteers and earned recognition on his school’s official Facebook page. Recently, his accomplishments extended to winning his category in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.
Mahadeo Sebarath, CIBC Caribbean’s country head for Trinidad and Tobago, emphasized the timing of these awards during the season of giving. He noted that the recipients’ previously unrecognized efforts ‘create hope in every person you touch’ and deserved celebration.
The Unsung Heroes programme, building on a legacy that ran from 2003-2013, identified 39 nominees across CIBC’s ten-member regional footprint this year. Both Trinidad winners are now considered for the Regional Unsung Heroes Award, which was ultimately claimed by Lucinda ‘Mini’ Smith of Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
Both Gilbert and Villafana expressed deep appreciation for the recognition, with Gilbert noting that ‘getting something like this makes you feel good’ and Villafana describing it as ‘a touching acknowledgement.’ They pledged to continue their community work with renewed inspiration.