Trinity College in Moka, Maraval won the final of the first PanKnowRama Secondary Schools Quiz hosted by the Secretariat of the International Conference and Panorama (ICP) and Pan Trinbago, at Lecture Theatre One in the Faculty of Engineering, University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, last Monday afternoon.
Team members representing the school were: Rashaun Williams (capt), Kareem Bruce, Nkosi Clarance, Talen Charles, and Zariel Roberts (sub) who took home the trophy and first prize of $50,000 in Republic Bank vouchers for music equipment for their school, plus $2,500 in Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) units for each team member, as well as Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) tickets.
Second place was won by Blanchisseuse Secondary School, which earned $35,000 in Republic Bank vouchers for music equipment for the school, plus $1,500 in UTC units per team member. Placing third was Bishop's High School, Tobago which won $15,000 in Republic Bank vouchers for music equipment, while fourth place went to Presentation College, San Fernando and the prize of $10,000 in Republic Bank vouchers for music equipment.
The PanKnowRama Secondary Schools Quiz was established "to preserve, encourage and nurture curiosity and engagement around the science, history, culture and industry of the national musical instrument in the young population at a national level." The quiz was also one of the official forerunner events hosted by the ICP and Pan Trinbago in the lead-up to the Conference and Panorama to be held in August.
Students were selected from Forms 1 to 4 in each school. To support them in their preparation for the quiz, all schools were supplied with the sources of information from which questions were derived. The questions included significant events and places in the history of the steelpan, details on steelpan-making, and significant players in the steelpan movement and history.
The quiz was confined to eight educational districts in Trinidad and Tobago designated by the Ministry of Education. Twenty-seven schools participated and were divided into four zones–East, Port-of-Spain, South and Tobago, from which four advanced to the final round. Sanch Electronix provided the reference material for the quiz, in the form of an interactive educational software package called "Pete the Panstick."
Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism Dr Lincoln Douglas, in delivering brief remarks at the event, urged participants to rejoice in the knowledge they acquired from the exercise. "Use it to strengthen your identity as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago," he said."Use what you have learned to build self-esteem and create options for the choices you may have to make in this world."
At the end of the final, prizes and other tokens were distributed in a ceremony that took place in a building adjacent to Lecture Theatre One.