Tacarigua Presbyterian and St Joseph Convent, St Joseph, have won the primary and secondary categories respectively of the National Junior Panorama competition.
The Taracigua primary school, with a band comprising 35 pupils, scored 270 and defeated the 11 other finalists to win the title for the first time playing Destra Garcia's, Max it up.Vice-principal Deryck Kistow said the school had never entered the competition before and had only acquired steel drums in 2014.
"We started using the entire school to be able to integrate the pan in the school.
"The children took to it really quickly. We started with the Standard Ones and went all the way to Fives."
Kistow said band members practised every day for the competition were able to overcome the odds, including not having a pan room on the school's compound.
"The children started to practice when school opened in September 2015," he said.
"Pan in Schools is an amazing initiative and I think it should be something that is kept and really supported, not only in terms of giving the schools the pan, but in ensuring that you have tutors that are passionate about it as well."
In the Secondary schools category St Joseph's Convent, St Joseph scored 262 points beating nine other finalists with their performance of the late Kitchener's, Guitar Pan.Bands were judged based on arrangement, general performance, tone and rhythm.
Recognition was given to Godfrey Joseph and Augustus Peters for their contribution to the Ministry of Education's Pan in the Classroom project and for their efforts to develop pan.
On hand to take in the performances were Minister of Culture Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly , Minister of Sport & Youth Affairs Darryl Smith and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Gillian Macintyre.
The Results
Primary Schools
1st Place–Tacarigua Presbyterian School–270 points
2nd Place–St Magaret's Boys' Anglican–268 points
3rd Place–Malabar RC School–261 points
1st Place–St Joseph Convent, St Joseph–262 points
2nd Place–Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East–256 points
3rd Place–QRC and Providence Girls Secondary School–255 points