Mickiah Augustus' painting, inspired by the popular Caribbean folk song Mango Vert, Mango Teen, took the top spot at the Ministry of Education’s Visual Arts, Performing Arts (VAPA) Folk Fest visual competition.
The 16-year-old Form Five student from ASJA Boys’ College in Charlieville was all smiles as he collected his gold medal and $600 art supplier voucher. The Angostura-sponsored prize-giving ceremony was held at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Towers on Monday.
Augustus spoke with Newsday after the ceremony and said that although this was not his first time entering an art competition, it was his first time winning.
"Since I was small, I always liked art, as far as I remember. I would grab a pencil, scribble and draw. And little by little, my skills improved."
He described the process of creating his winning artwork as smooth, simple, and fun, saying he used paper, acrylic paint and cotton to bring the texture of a sucked mango seed to life, along with markers and coloured pencils.
"I have another painting of a guy eating that I did for another competition. So the idea was to improve it and make it better, and it came out better with this one. So the idea was already there, just to put the groundwork done and fix it up."
Shazana Hasmatally took second place, winning a silver medal and a $500 art supply voucher. The Fyzabad Secondary School student also won most creative artwork.
Serena Price from Chaguanas North Secondary School took the third spot, winning a bronze medal and a $500 art supply voucher.
In the school category, ASJA Boys’ College was awarded first place, a trophy and a $1,000 art supply voucher. Fyzabad Secondary was awarded second place, a trophy and an $800 art supply voucher while Chaguanas North Secondary was awarded third place, a trophy and a $100 art supply voucher.
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, in the feature address, said her ministry's portfolio was not just about children going to school and getting certificates but creating citizens who will drive the country’s development regionally and globally. She called the competition a preservation of traditional customs and stories.
She reminded guests that the students the ministry is nurturing would be the country's leaders.
She said the ministry was measuring its success every day, every month and every term with data provided by school administrators, which it deems important for decisions and crucial in creating citizens that embody discipline, tolerance and production.
Gadsby-Dolly acknowledged the work ahead before turning her attention to the students to congratulate them on their work, saying she looks forward to a more developed country in the sense of discipline, tolerance and production.
She spoke on her ministry’s national developmental agenda, Vision 2030, aimed at governance and successive governance towards policies and procedures, saying it is supposed to trickle into the classroom and home as a guide.
She thanked the sponsor, Angostura Ltd, for its participation.
"When we have Angost
