Monrovia – Soltiamon Christian School System has been crowned champion of Liberia’s 1st National Press Clubs’ Exhibition.
Report by Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
The event, which was hosted by Youth Media Action, in partnership with Right Holder Network, brought together six high school press clubs into a news presentation challenge over the weekend at the YMCA on Crown Hill.
The daylong event was in commemoration of the Day of the African Child.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, the Public Relations Officer at the United States Embassy near Monrovia, Robert Clarke, said Soltiamon Christian School represented by the Old Road Branch, accumulated 490 points to become the ultimate champion of the Exhibition.
While Paynesville Seventh Day Adventist School at ELWA Junction secured 340.1 points to become the 2nd place winner and Bethesda Mission School on the Robertfield highway got 389 points to bag the 3rd place to wrap up the winners for the Exhibition.
Clarke also stated that other participating schools — Haweh Academy in New Georgia estate booked 297.2 points while St. Michael in New Georgia Estate got 290.1.
Len Miller finished at the bottom with 270.9 points to climax the weekend’s event and William V.S Tubman high school was disqualified for late arrival to climax the weekend’s exhibition.
He indicated that in each presentation, the judges were looking for style, format, articulation, pronunciation, grammar, posture, news script format, coordination, and presentation tone as areas the contestants were judged.
The U.S Embassy Public Relations Officer thanked the participating teams especially the winner and urged others to follow suit if they are to win in the next edition.
Also speaking, the founder of Youth Media Action, Varmah Kamara, hailed the participating schools for their brilliant presentations.
Mr. Kamara added that the exhibition was an opportunity to evaluate the students and the press clubs that have benefited from Youth Media Action’s trainings.
According to him, the winner of the event will identify a project on campus which YMA will implement in order to help motivate the students.
Kamara further said that YMA aims at rebranding the future through the media for the betterment of the society.
“For the future to be rebranded, we need a credible and professional media sector that will provide accurate information and educate the Liberian populace,” he stressed.
Also speaking, the Vice President of the Press Union of Liberia, Octavin Williams, said high school journalism is a fundamental beginning that paves the way in becoming a professional journalist.
Mr. Williams said while high school press clubs may be overlooked in Liberia, it is an essential step in building a vibrant and professional media.
The PUL vice president, moved by the project, committed L$50,000 with an initial contribution of L$10,000 to YMA.
According to him, the financial commitment is part of his way of ensuring that the campaign is extended to other high schools across the country.
He thinks that if the project is taken to other counties, it will help in strengthening the media and the ongoing education reform process by improving students writing and reading skills.
Mr. Williams emphasized that the ongoing programs initiated by YMA is a commendable venture that will serve as one of the surest ways to empower high school students and help them transition into the media sector.
He added that the project will also provide career opportunities for high school students before pursuing a degree in college.
He noted that the media sector in Liberia is seriously challenged and such initiative will help to curtail some of the critical issues confronting the sector.