Lucky 13 for St Jago ahead of SCQ finale
Published:Monday | April 9, 2018 | 12:00 AMSyranno Baines/Gleaner Writer
A 13-year-old is sure to feature in tonight's Schools' Challenge Quiz (SCQ) finale between multi-time champions St Jago High and academic powerhouse Campion College.
For St Jago, it's just a matter of which 13-year-old: Leroy Cassanova or Donald Robinson, both second-formers at the Spanish Town-based institution who have participated in this season's competition, each time surrounded by three sixth-form schoolmates.
All indications are that the trend is set to continue, meaning that one of the eighth-graders won't play a part in tonight's decider. Regardless of who is selected, principal of St Jago High, Collette Feurtado-Pryce, has said that their contribution will be significant.
"Leroy is coming out of the Junior Quiz programme where he captained Ewarton Primary. He is naturally brilliant, an academic all-rounder, always been on the honour roll and is the top boy for second form. He is also intrigued by challenges," said Feurtado-Pryce.
"Donald is a warrior who's also intrigued by challenges. He's very gifted, retains information very well. He has many interests, so, he reads widely," Feurtado-Pryce added, pointing out that the lower-school students have taken a keen interest in the quiz competition.
"We're basically looking at the future and rebuilding, and we're happy that the younger students have come here and are showing an interest. They are very good at what they do," Feurtado-Pryce concluded.
Campion composed for final
The calming presence of captain Desmond Edwards and the depth of knowledge his teammates possess are key strengths that can win Campion its first SCQ title according to school principal, Grace Baston.
"The captain seems very much in control and he seems to be able to communicate that to the others, how to be steady," Baston said.
Relatively newcomers to the world of competitive quiz, Campion fell to Kingston College in the 2014 final by a score of 27-25.
Again in 2016, they advanced to the decisive game after besting St Jago in the semis. There they lost to Titchfield 41-39 in a keenly contested final.
"They're approaching this final with composure, and their depth of knowledge is really strong, and that's where their confidence comes from," she concluded.