Even though they have been prac­tis­ing for less than two months, the stu­dents of Pleas­antville Sec­ondary, al­so known as Pan­jam­mers, have made it in­to the Na­tion­al Sec­ondary Schools Ju­nior Panora­ma fi­nals.

How­ev­er, they are now in need of fi­nan­cial as­sis­tance as they head to the Queen’s Park Sa­van­nah, Port-of-Spain this week­end for the fi­nals.

In a let­ter sent by the PTA, on be­half of the Pan­jam­mers, par­ents were asked to con­tribute fi­nan­cial­ly to as­sist the 50 stu­dents in get­ting to the fi­nals. The school is try­ing to raise $35,000 for the event.

The let­ter said trans­porta­tion costs for stu­dents and staff amount­ed to $3,000 while the trans­porta­tion of the steel pans was es­ti­mat­ed to be $15,000.

The PTA al­so re­quest­ed $7,000 for jer­seys and prints as well as $5,000 for re­fresh­ments. The cos­tumes for dancers and moko jumbies were es­ti­mat­ed to be $2,000 while the ban­ner, dec­o­ra­tions, and oth­er items were es­ti­mat­ed to cost $3,000.

Do­na­tion sheets were is­sued by the PTA

The pre­lim­i­nary re­sults show on­ly two bands from south Trinidad moved in­to the semis.

The Na­pari­ma Com­bined band, which in­cludes stu­dents from Na­pari­ma Col­lege and the Na­pari­ma Girls’ High School, scored 251 points, plac­ing third while Pleas­antville placed ninth with 225 points.

Mara­bel­la South did not place in the fi­nals com­ing 14th with 175 points.

Bish­op Anstey, in Port-of- Spain, placed first in the pre­lim­i­nary round with 264 points while Bish­op Anstey High School East and Trin­i­ty Col­lege placed sec­ond with 256 points.