By: STAFF WRITER, For the Guardian

Rupert Missick Jr. was born in 1982 on the island of New Providence. He attended high school at St Augustine's College, where he was an active participant in the National Arts Festival. He won several awards in the National Arts Festival including:

1995

* First Place - One Person Dramatized Characterization

* Second Place - Two Persons Dramatized Characterization

1996

* First Place - One Person Dramatized Characterization

* First Place - Story Telling

* Second Place - Two Persons Dramatized Characterization

1997

* First Place - Story Telling

* Third Place - Two Persons Dramatized Characterizations

* Pandora Gibson Gomez Award for Most Outstanding Individual in Drama

1998

* First Place- Two Persons Dramatized Characterization

* See Rupert Missick Jr. on L2

* First Place - Individual Verse Speaking

1999

* First Place - One Person Dramatized Characterization

* Pandora Gibson Gomez Award for Most Outstanding Individual in Drama

Mr. Missick has also acted in numerous plays. He participated in the 1996 Dundas Repertory Season production of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," directed by David Burrows. In 1997 he played a part in the Dundas Repertory Season production of 'God's Trombones,' directed by Philip Burrows. He also participated in the Track Road Theater's Production of 'Island Sex,' directed by Dr. Ian Strachan, and Ringplay's Production of "Macbeth", directed by Phillip Burrows. In 1998 Rupert was awarded the DANSA Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Revue for his performance in "God's Trombones".

Mr. Missick believes that culture, in a narrow sense, may be equated to the artistic expression of a people. He feels that this narrow definition of culture has dominated the debate on Bahamian culture for far too long. He believes that there is a need to examine the most essential and basic aspects of culture, which includes the beliefs, traditions, rituals, spirit, and thought patterns transmitted in an ethnic group from one generation to the next.

Rupert published his first book, entitled "Dreams and Other Whispers", in 2006.

Mr. Missick currently works at The Tribune as the newspaper's Chief Reporter.