Semi-finalists tour schools

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) hosted a campaign yesterday for the semi-finalists of the Junior Monarch competition in an attempt to raise awareness and gain support.The campaign started at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) car park and then made its way to the Christ Church Foundation School, the Hilda Skeene Primary School, The Parkinson Memorial School, The Springer Memorial School and the Westbury Primary School.The schools that were visited all have three semi-finalists in the competition. Marketing officer for the NCF, Andre Hoyte, the explained that there was an increase in the entrants in the senior category and the NCF was also “getting a good response from the participants and their classmates . . . ”.He said, however, that the whole aim of the campaign was to raise awareness about the Junior Monarch competition and to show the teachers and students of the schools how well their competitors were doing.Hoyte explained that some of the competitors wrote and arranged their own songs and melodies while senior calypsonians from the field along with some musicians helped them out.The marketing officer also spoke about the Junior Kadooment parade and mentioned that the NCF was getting a good response from children of both the primary and secondary level. Hoyte reported that this year there was an increase in the number of bands participating in the parade.He explained that the foundation had a few bands within the schools and the students and teachers came together and made the costumes. (DG/GS)