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Comeback kids conquer!

Friendship Primary reels in Creative Kids to win TVJ Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz

Published:Monday | December 20, 2021 | 12:06 AMAsha Wilks/Staff Reporter
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Principal Collington Powell (left) and Coach Zavier Clarke celebrate with the victorious Friendship Primary team after they defeated Creative Kids Learning Academy 25-16 in the final of TVJ’s Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz Competition on Thursday. The
Kenyon Hemans/Photographer
Principal Collington Powell (left) and Coach Zavier Clarke celebrate with the victorious Friendship Primary team after they defeated Creative Kids Learning Academy 25-16 in the final of TVJ’s Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz Competition on Thursday. The students are (from left) Alaina Smith, Teon Hughes, Damonesh Clunie, and Monneesa Daley.
Television Jamaica General Manager Claire Grant presents the championship trophy to Monneesa Daley, captain of the Friendship Primary’s team, after the Spanish Town-based school won this year’s TVJ’s Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz Competition last
Kenyon Hemans/Photographer
Television Jamaica General Manager Claire Grant presents the championship trophy to Monneesa Daley, captain of the Friendship Primary’s team, after the Spanish Town-based school won this year’s TVJ’s Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz Competition last week.
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In a riveting final match of Season 18 of TVJ’s Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz, Friendship Primary from St Catherine defeated the St Andrew-based Creative Kids Learning Academy on Thursday night.

Emerging tops out of the 127 preparatory and primary schools that competed in this year’s competition, having started preparations from as early as May, Friendship Primary coach Zavier Clarke said the experience was “nerve-racking”.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he told The Gleaner that he was proud of his protégés, who triumphed in the finale despite the high level of tension.

Though he had anticipated a larger margin of victory, as the team would normally score more than 30 points in practice sessions, Clarke believes that their anxiety got the better of them, resulting in a slower start than usual.

“On another day, I think we would have scored higher,” he said, adding that his team had ended up “chasing” in the end, which meant that they were trying to make a comeback and build up on points.

The neck-and-neck battle leading up to the third round had Friendship completing round one with five points to Creative Kids’ seven. By the end of round two, Friendship had amassed 17 points to their competitor’s 22.

Clarke encouraged his charges not to be fazed as they went into the final round behind by five points. They managed to pull away to end the encounter on 25 points to Creative Kids’ 16.

Romeo Lee, coach of Creative Kids, said that although his team was not so lucky this time around, there is much more room for improvement.

“A little more composure in the final section would’ve helped a lot,” said Lee.

“I am tremendously proud,” he added, noting that making it to the final round was itself a great accomplishment.

This was Creative Kids’ fourth year in the contest, and they do not plan to slow down in their pursuit of first place.

Lee said that they intend to build on what they have learned and will make every attempt to win next year’s staging.

“This platform is an opportunity. We are disappointed, but at the same time, we know that through adversity, that a lot of times greatness comes,” asserted Lee.

The first-place winners were awarded the TVJ Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz Scholarship of $700,000 with a championship trophy, tablets, cash, and electronic prizes from sponsors GraceKennedy, Jamaica Teachers’ Association Co-operative Credit Union, Sunshine Snacks, Restaurant Associates, and Nestlé.

Creative Kids were presented with the runners-up trophy, a donation of $75,000 from GraceKennedy towards their school’s feeding programme, smartphones, and cash prizes from sponsors.

Vaz Preparatory took third place, defeating Broughton Primary 39-18.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com