Caption: Students from the Arima Central Secondary School celebrate their win, at the finals of the Republic Bank and The Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) National African History Quiz Competition, held recently at Synergy TV studios.
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad: December 3, 2014: Students of the Arima Central Secondary School have retained their title, after they triumphed over San Fernando West Secondary School at this year’s Republic Bank and The Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) National African History Quiz Competition. The competition was held recently at the Synergy studios located on Aripita Avenue, Port-of-Spain.
Competition was stiff as, each participating school displayed diligence, persistence and determination to win the judges nod.
The competition, which ran for six weeks, was opened to both Secondary School and Primary School students, throughout Trinidad and Tobago and attempted to engage the young ones and bring African culture alive in our twin island.
Coming in third was St. Francois Girls’ College while lone boy school, St. Benedict’s College, had to settle for fourth position.
Republic Bank, in its thrust to heighten public awareness of the contributions of Africans and celebrate our nation’s heritage, partnered with the ESC to execute the programme. Students were quizzed in four categories: Africans in Science and Technology, General Knowledge, Historical Events and Renowned Africans. Some individuals featured in these categories were: Walter Anthony Rodney (Guyana), Trinidad & Tobago’s Anthony Martin, Dr. Louis Anslem Halsey Mc Shine, Bertram Marshall, Camille Waldrop- Alleyne and USA’s Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou.
In the spoken word segment of the competition, the students re-enacted the passion that was shared by our African forefathers. The poems and speeches were from the likes of Maya Angelou, Eintou Springer, Marcus Garvey and Lasana Kwesi.
Kurnisha Plowden
of Atwell’s Educational Institute, was a crowd favorite and walked away with the Pearl Eintou Springer Challenge Trophy, with her rendition of the late Lasana Kwesi’s
“Field of Battle”. Second place went to
Johan Pollnais from Moultan Hall Methodist, while third and fourth positions went to
Alandra Joseph of South Oropouch R.C and
Jiniyah Phillips of Diego Martin Primary School, respectively.
Judges at the competition were Dr. Claudius Fergus, UWI Lecturer, Tracey Wilson, Director Education ESC, One Piankhi, Historian, Damien Whiskey and Nicholas Anthony. The competition is also being chaired by television personality, Verne ‘Antix’ Extravour.
Through the Bank’s Power to Make a Difference Programme, Republic Bank remains committed to the development of our youth through education, sports and culture.
We congratulate all the schools that took part in the competition and wish them every success in their future academic endeavors.