The Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries celebrated the winners of the 2024 Summer Writing Challenge at a luncheon and award ceremony yesterday at Tamarind Hills Restaurant.
According to a press release from the Ministry, the initiative was launched in 2022, for young Antiguans and Barbudans aged 6 to 17 years. In 2024, 18 year olds who were still in Secondary School were allowed to participate. Students wrote poems, essays or dramatic pieces on one of the five themes: Infrastructure, Volunteerism, Man and Animals, Mental Health and Sports.
It is fully sponsored by Mrs Cheryll Rogers.
From a pool 126 participants, students from Newfield Primary, Liberta Primary, Antigua Grammar, Antigua Girls High, Ottos Comprehensive and Clare Hall Secondary schools emerged winners. The winners in the various categories are:
Winners | Theme the piece was based on | Schools |
6-9 years | ||
Khor Johnson | Mental Health | Newfield Primary School |
Salem Michael | Volunteering | Liberta Primary School |
Olivia Michael | Sports | Liberta Primary School |
10-13 years | ||
Shakier Thomas | Mental Health | Antigua Grammar School |
Micah Thomas | Man and Animals | Antigua Grammar School |
Victoria Skepple | Infrastructure | Antigua Girls High School |
14-18 years | ||
Jhazzair Whyte | Sports | |
Jada Blair | Mental Health | Ottos Comprehensive School |
Destiny Defreitas | Mental Health | Clare Hall Secondary School |
The following students were cited for Honourable Mention: Alexis Soanes and Alvina Morris – Old Road Primary; Rodina Cochrane – Urlings Primary; Shaury Rondon and Karrisha Augustin – Antigua Girls High School, and Jaylan Russell – All Saints Secondary School.St Mary’s Secondary School was recognized as the school with the highest number of entries.
At the ceremony, Education Officer for Language Arts, Dr Desryn Collins, who initiated the challenge, greeted the participants and commented on the exceptional talent that was revealed in their submissions.
The first place entries will be published in the next issue of the Luxury Locations Magazine, the release said.