Tag: queens college

Queens College Student shines at 4th Annual Spelling Bee Competition

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

The Guyana Police Force’s Community Relations Department on Sunday concluded its 4th Annual Spelling Bee Competition with an impressive display of confidence and talent from young participants. Among the top performers was Queens College student Koyama Blair, a member of the Buxton Young Achievers Youth Group, Regional Division 4C, whose composure and strong spelling ability earned her a place among this year’s winners.

Blair, who has been participating in the event for three years, said her initial motivation came from her mother, Grace Williams. “My mom encouraged me to do it, so I was like, hey, let’s try it,” she recalled. After securing second place last year, she returned this year determined to improve her standing. “I really wanted to redeem myself,” she said with a smile.

Preparation for the competition became a household effort. Blair received the official word list two weeks before the event but admitted she only began studying seriously in the final week. Her mother printed the list and quizzed her every night, while her sister, Zionara, also helped. “Some nights I got a few wrong, and my mom got upset,” she laughed. “So I decided to study on my own afterward, and it all worked out. I got all the words right at the competition.”

An avid reader, Blair credits her love of books for expanding her vocabulary. “Reading makes it easier,” she said. “If you enjoy what you read, you’ll learn without even trying.”

The final round proved to be one of the most exciting moments of the competition. With three contestants remaining and six challenging words left, Blair said she felt confident. “I was excited. I knew all the words, and I knew if the list ran out, I’d still be able to spell whatever they gave me,” she noted. However, the judges surprised the competitors with an unexpected announcement— all three finalists would share the winning title due to their strong performance. “I didn’t think three people could win,” Blair admitted. “But it was a different experience and a fun one.”

Despite her success, Blair acknowledged that short, simple words were her biggest challenge. “I would rush through them because I thought they were too easy… and then I’d get them wrong,” she said. “My mom always told me, ‘See? You rushed it.’ So that was my main challenge.”

Encouraging other young people, Blair advised aspiring spellers to embrace reading and consistent practice. “Practice. Read a lot. Read what you enjoy not just what people tell you to read,” she said. “And try not to be too nervous. Breathe in, breathe out. Drink some water if you can.”

She also encouraged youths to get involved in community groups. “Why have doubts?” she asked. “The youth group I’m part of is friendly and accepting. They won’t deny anyone at the door. If you want a community, you should go ahead and join.”

Empowering and inspiring: QC girls celebrate 50 years of impact

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

Guyana’s top high school, Queen’s College, continues to produce girls who are inspiring positive change — not only within the institution but across the country.
This is according to the school’s Principal, Donna Lewis-Isles, who noted that since the first cohort of girls was admitted to the once all-male school in 1975, they quickly adapted, proving themselves equal by leading academically.

A section of the gathering

The school on Thursday celebrated 50 years since the first cohort of girls entered the institution, marking the milestone with a ceremony honouring five decades of achievements.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, an alumna who delivered the feature address, boasted that leaders in every field emerge from Queen’s College, including Guyana’s first top CAPE student and Ministers including Dr Vindhya Persaud and Oneidge Walrond.
She said it is necessary to celebrate policymakers who led the change 50 years ago, which spurred the school’s growth.
Meanwhile, President of the Queen’s College Old Students Association, Devindra Kissoon, said Queen’s College girls have excelled and transformed what the school represents.
He said they have proven themselves by leading in areas such as law, medicine, public service, and other sectors, as well as shaping industries.

Queen’s College’s Anushka Singh is Guyana’s top youth environmental speaker

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

Anushka Singh of Queen’s College was named national champion of SHOUT 3.0, Guyana’s premier youth environmental public speaking competition, which concluded on World Environment Day at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel.

Singh excelled across all four phases of the competition, earning top marks for her vision of sustainable transformation. She secured a GYD 1 million cash grant for her school to implement her proposed environmental project. Singh also received GYD 100,000 in cash, a laptop, and a year of free fibre internet from One Communications.

Organised by Recover Guyana in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and supported by ExxonMobil Guyana, the competition aims to promote environmental advocacy among high school students. SHOUT 3.0, now in its third year, involved participants from all ten administrative regions and awarded over GYD 4 million in cash and prizes.

More than 60 students from 11 educational districts, including hinterland regions, submitted one-minute videos pitching original environmental projects. Thirty schools advanced to SHOUT Day, where participants delivered prepared speeches, answered impromptu questions, and addressed real-world environmental challenges in the final round.

Kuvina Singh of The Bishops’ High School placed second, delivering what judges described as a well-balanced and emotionally resonant speech. Subrina Jadgeo of President’s College took third with a passionate call to action. Both students received cash prizes and educational technology packages.

Special awards were also presented: Jadgeo received the Most Influential Speech; Kristina Teekaram of Leguan Secondary won the Best Speaker Award; and Anushka Singh received the Environmental Impact Award. Go Green Awards were given to Anushka Singh, Kuvina Singh, Teekaram, and Justin De Santos of Diamond Secondary. County champion speakers included Damian Martins of Hope Secondary (Demerara), Amanda Sampson of Lower Corentyne Secondary (Berbice), and Kristina Teekaram (Essequibo).

“These students have not only found their voices, but they have found purpose,” said Dr. Dave Lalltoo, founder of Recover Guyana. “SHOUT 3.0 is about more than speeches. It is about building a culture of environmental leadership that begins in our schools and communities.”

Ryan Lowry of ExxonMobil Guyana added, “The fact that you are here, that you are exploring real, tangible ways to begin making changes, that you have thought through how you are actually going to execute your innovative ideas, shows you have the potential to continue doing great things. It’s one of the reasons why at EMGL we support youth empowerment, we support programmes that encourage critical thinking, and we support STEM education – So that we can support building the capacity of young Guyanese, and we can really help make a difference in your lives and those around you.”

Senior Education Officer Mr. Granville, representing the Ministry of Education, said, “We are proud to partner with Recover Guyana and ExxonMobil Guyana in this endeavor. Through SHOUT, we see not only brilliant public speakers, but passionate environmental ambassadors who are already shaping the future of Guyana.”

SHOUT 3.0 was supported by several sponsors, including Nand Persaud & Company Ltd., Flawless Dental GY, Camex Restaurants Inc., Scotiabank Guyana, Guyoil, SEVA Marketing Inc., Macon Construction, the Guyana Learning Channel, and others dedicated to youth and environmental development.
The finalists at SHOUT 3.0 (SHOUT 3.0 photo)

Queen’s College wins Young Environmental Scientists Competition

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

Guyana’s Queen’s College has secured first place in the secondary category of the 2024-25 Young Environmental Scientists (YES) Competition.

The competition, which celebrates the ingenuity of students across the Caribbean in tackling sustainability challenges, was inspired by Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. It encourages young minds to develop practical solutions to address environmental issues in their communities.

This year’s competition featured top-ranking students from Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

In the secondary category, where students were tasked with designing and testing an idea for a sustainable town, Queen’s College Environmental Guardians emerged as the winners. Their project featured a lampshade model that illuminates roads while minimising light pollution, thereby reducing its impact on bats and surrounding ecosystems.

Second place went to Ravens Builders from St. Jago High School, Jamaica. Their experiment explored the potential of recycled CDs and DVDs to generate solar energy as an alternative power source.

Competition judge Dr. Aldrin E. Sweeney from Barbados praised the students’ efforts, commending their inventive approach to problem-solving.

“I was quite impressed with the ingenuity and creativity of many of these projects. Several could be developed into prototypes for serious consideration by various Caribbean countries,” he noted.

Meanwhile, in the primary category, TML Super Planters from TML Primary School in Trinidad and Tobago claimed first place. Their invention was a self-watering planter made from repurposed wood, plastic bottles, and a bucket to grow Chocolate Mint.

Anchovy Innovators from Anchovy Primary, Jamaica, secured second place with a flood debris collection device designed using an old fan cover, mesh, and wheels.

Now in its second year, the YES competition continues to foster a culture of innovation and environmental awareness among Caribbean students.