Renewable energy and preserving biodiversity inspired primary and secondary school students from across the south and north eastern education districts who participated in the 2021 edition of the bp Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) Schools’ Environmental Awareness Competition.

Participating students demonstrated their knowledge and understanding of these critical topics in the debate, art/poster and essay components of the competition, which is endorsed by the Ministry of Education and has been managed by Mayaro-based environmental non-governmental organisation, The Black Deer Foundation since 2006. Seventeen schools took part in the various components, with the submission of 70 essays, 46 pieces of art and the intensely researched debate presentations.

[caption id="attachment_904329" align="alignnone" width="766"] Arvolon Wilson-Smith of The Black Deer Foundation congratulates Amanda Rajah of Robert Village Hindu for coming second in the essay competition. -[/caption]

Given the restrictions posed by the pandemic, this year the competition was hosted via a virtual platform where students participated using online technology. Artwork and essays were submitted via a web portal while schools debated against each other using online web-conferencing tools.

A small closing ceremony was hosted online, and the feature address was delivered by Ronaldo Phillip of the Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries.

[caption id="attachment_904327" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Mafeking Government student, Suraiya Ramdeen, gets help from her aunt to uploading her art piece to the new virtual platform used for the 2021 edition of the bpTT Schools’ Environmental Awareness Competition. -[/caption]

"I want to congratulate all of the participants for their outstanding work ... Our local biodiversity is diverse and we are blessed with abundant flora and fauna. However, these are under threat and what we need are ambassadors to protect our biodiversity and educate others. This competition is empowering emissaries of the environment and is uniting like-minded persons who will protect the planet. I urge all of you to keep up the great work," Phillip said.