In a spectacular show of intellect, courage, and earth-mindedness, on June 05, World Environment Day, thirty schools participated in the final leg of the Shout Competition, on the quest to find Guyana’s next Youth Environmental Speaker.
Guyana’s National Youth Environmental Speaker was announced as Vasanna Persaud of Queen’s College who received a prize package valued at $300,000 and an environmental award, a laptop PC, a health voucher from UltraCare Medical Centre Inc. and a cash prize among other prizes.
A check of $500,000 representative in value of a cash grant, training and technical expertise was also handed over to Queen’s College.
In second place was Aryanne Singh of Marian Academy who received a prize package valued at $250,000 and included an environmental award among other prizes.
In third place was Saahil Hemraj from Skeldon Line Path Secondary School who received a prize package valued at $175,000 and included an environmental award and a tablet among other prizes.
Shout, a collaborative effort between local NGO, Recover Guyana, and the Ministry of Education was launched in March 2023. It completed its first phase in April which saw over eighty-five schools submit essays on what sustainable changes they would make to their environment if money was not an issue. Only thirty schools were allowed to move forward, after judging, to the next phase held on Monday at the Georgetown Ramada Princess Hotel.
The event was opened by paying respects to not just our planet but also to the twenty young persons who lost their lives to the fire at the Mahdia Secondary Girls’ Dormitory; followed by an official “green” opening by Dr. Latoya Gooding, vice-president of Recover Guyana.
Recognition was given to the top three essay submissions from Zeeburg Secondary School, West Demerara Secondary and Queen’s College, the latter of whom was awarded the prize for best essay. Additionally, the Best Speaker Award was copped by West Demerara Secondary School, Most Influential Speech Award by Qayyim Academy and the Environment Impact Speech Award by Queen’s College. All participants were awarded tokens and certificates while the top ten each went away with Environmental Recognition Awards.
(Modified press release from Recover Guyana)
